Neon City
by UnearthedByOdin
Summary: Naruto characters made modern day. Sakura starts a new life in Tokyo, working as a travelling nurse. Set on chasing her dreams, she comes across a scene that puts her in the line of fire with some incredibly dangerous people; as well as a ragtag group of ninja mercenaries, one mystery man in particular, who intervene and change the course of her life forever. KakaSaku. LEMON.
1. Choice

"Are you _sure_ this is what you want to do? Can't you just stay here- there's plenty of hospitals that you can work at...I mean, this is ridiculous, you're going to go halfway across the globe. You'll have no one, what if something happens and-"

"Mom," Sakura sighed, hand raised to cut off her rambling mother. "I have been planning this for years, _you know that._ You knew that it was my plan after graduation, albeit I stayed for a couple years because of..." she trailed off.

"Well, I remember you talking about it...but after you graduated, you stayed, so we had just figured you let it go."

"Yeah, but you also knew why I had stayed. I also wish you would of pushed me to chase after my dream instead of crossing your fingers in hopes I'd settle and give you tons of grandbabies." Sakura's tone was slightly bitter at the notion. Sure, her parent's always pushed her to finish college and get a career-hell, they paid for all of it. It also didn't stop the innate need Sakura's mom felt when it came to being a grandmother; the woman was obsessed. Growing up, it's all her mom ever talked about; Sakura making a fine wife and mother to some 'lucky man.'

However, that was never Sakura's ambition. Sakura knew the moment she graduated, she wanted to move to Tokyo and work there at one of their hospitals. Tokyo had always been a dream for her, from the very moment she discovered as a child the place even existed. She was immediately obsessed. As she grew older, she committed herself to the culture; studying Japanese (in which she was well-versed), traditions, city life, tv shows, laws, and even the rapidly advanced medical community there. The moment Sakura made up her mind that she wanted a career in the medical field, moving to Tokyo and working there was a no brainer.

Well, that had been her plan, anyways.  
A man by the name of Sasuke threw a wrench in all of that.

Sasuke and Sakura had been on and off all throughout her years in college. To say the relationship was toxic was an understatement. Though Sakura had felt strongly for Sasuke, the emotion was never reciprocated. He was always cold, disinterested, and standoffish. She was purely a pawn in whatever game he was playing, a side piece he'd go back to when he got bored with yet another woman. Anytime Sakura would bring up her feelings, he made her feel crazy. Any issue she had with him, when it was voiced, was immediately twisted and turned back onto her. She could never win with him, and always gave into his whims. His being handsome had one thing to do with it, and the other having to do with the fact that he capitalized on her vulnerability. He knew how to press her buttons, he knew the right things to say to break her defense and get through to get what he wanted: which was always just sex and unending loyalty from her, and only her. Sasuke, on the other hand, wanted to have his cake and eat it, too. He'd call it off, and go about sowing his wild oats however he liked.

In the beginning, being that Sakura was still very naive to Sasuke's habits, had remained loyal to him. She'd push advancing men away, sitting by her window at night hoping that he'd come back to her. She had thought, just for a little bit, that she was someone special to him, that no other woman could compare. That was never the case. He loved playing mind games with her, he loved making her feel like she wasn't smart enough to catch on. He made her feel weak, small, and insignificant. He made her feel like he was the only man that would love her, that could put up with her. Though he never raised a hand towards her, the mental abuse was painful enough. Sakura felt like her mind was trapped in a cage surrounded with invisible electrical wire. Any little opening, any out, she would jump to only to be shocked back into her little cage. She felt helpless to him at her weakest, being whoever he wanted her to be.  
She told herself she loved him.

After awhile, on every "break" they took, Sakura decided that she would play the same game. She went to bars and clubs, hooking up with random men in hopes to spite him. Though she had to admit, there was thrill in -safe- casual sex, it never replicated the intimacy she craved that she was convinced she could get from Sasuke. But each time they got back together, if that's what you wanted to call it, he proved to her time and time again that she was only temporary until he sets his sights on some big breasted, long legged woman. There were times he would even tell her that she wasn't his type, straight to her face, right after sex sometimes. He would compare her to the super models he'd seem to bag; stating her breasts were too small, her forehead was just a little too big, her pink hair made her face look washed. Her chin was too pointed, she wasn't curvy enough, she didn't have any muscular definition (which, that Sakura knew to be untrue, as she has been taking Taijutsu classes since she was eight.) After he started doing that, Sakura really didn't know why she stuck around. Maybe because he was familiar, maybe because he had her so wrapped in his claws that at one point she really thought that this was going to be the rest of her life; stuck in the city working day in and day out, only to come home to a man who didn't even love her.  
But, the gods must of been smiling down on her.

One night, after a particularly long shift interning at the hospital, a very exhausted Sakura came home to a sight that she was never sure she was going to unsee. Upon opening the door, she was greeted with Sasuke's wide eyes along with two other very surprised sets. Sasuke was standing there ass naked, mid thrust in a equally naked woman, while the other one was on her knees between the two.  
Sasuke was having a fucking _threesome.__  
__'In my goddamed apartment?!'_

What made it worst, is just before he saw Sakura walk in, she caught a glimpse of the expression on his face. One of pure desire, need, and lust. Awe and amazement at the woman wrapped around him. A look he never gave her, even when they were intimate. Sakura felt like she had been stabbed in the gut; a slow, torturous, twisting thrust that took it's time reminding her the pain wasn't going to leave.

Somewhere, deep inside of Sakura, she snapped. She had taken a lot of shit from Sasuke over the years; the mental abuse, gas lighting, being used and tossed to the side, stepped on, her heart broken and shattered to pieces just to be broken all over again. _But this?_ This, to Sakura, was an entirely new level of disrespect. Fucking two bitches she didn't know from Eve, right in the middle of HER apartment, KNOWING full and well she was going to come home that night. She remembered for the first time Saskue looked nervous, his face blanching. "Just who the **FUCK** do you think you _ARE_?!" Sakura had screamed, grabbing the vase that was near the door and chunking it directly at Sasuke's head, of which he was barely able to dodge. The two women shot up instantly, scrambling for their clothes and trying to run past Sakura out the door. Sakura grabbed the skinny blond by her pony tail, yanking her back and tossing her to the ground while the other woman managed to escape. All those years of Taijutsu reminded Sakura in that moment just how strong she actually was; that she wasn't some weak, defenseless, helpless little girl that Sasuke often called her. The blond let out a small cry, begging Sakura to let her go. "What are you fucking doing? Let her go, Sakura." Sasuke tried to demand in a tone that usually scared Sakura, but the shaking in his voice gave her the courage she needed to finish this once and for all.

"What the fuck am I doing? What the fuck are _you _doing, you piece of shit! You told me that you were done fucking around, and then I come home to _this?!_ You balls deep in some two-bit sluts?! IN MY FUCKING APARTMENT NO LESS?! You've got some fucking nerve." Sakura yelled vociferously, fist slamming into the wall, leaving a gaping hole when she jerked her hand out. Stepping over the cowering blond, Sakura felt her entire body shake as she neared Sasuke. Just as she was clear of Sakura, the blond jolted out of the room too quick for Sakura to care.

Sasuke took an apprehensive step back, raising his hands in defense, "Stop yelling Sakura, the neighbors will hear you and call the cops."

Sakura cocked her head, "Oh, they'll hear me and call the cops? And what are they gonna say? That I freaked out when I came home to find that some fucking _pervert_ and two other bitches broke into my apartment were having a fuck fest? That will get YOU arrested, and I'm sure your dad will _love _to find this one out. Imagine how it'll look on your record. You'd never be able to land that corporate job you wanted, dickhead."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he moved back again, "You wouldn't..."

"Wouldn't I? After everything you've put me through, after all the shit I have dealt with in being with you time and time again; you _seriously_ didn't think that I would have a breaking point? I mean, really? You fucking _idiot._ You fucking _coward._ You are literal trash, you are the scum of this fucking earth and I am DONE with you, you fucking hear me? I don't want shit to do with you ever again. I never want to see your disgusting face. I never want to hear your bitch ass voice. I hope your dick rots off, you stupid son-of-a-bitch." Sakura was seething, her entire frame trembling with an anger that she had kept bottled up for years. She was just inches away from Sasuke now, who was backed against the wall. Shock was written all over his face, no doubt taken back by her words. Sakura never spoke to Sasuke like this, other assholes definitely, but never Sasuke. "I HATE YOU. You hear me, fucker? I HATE everything about you!" Sakura hollered through clenched teeth.

Sasuke slowly moved his hands from the defensive position to either side of Sakura's shaking frame, hovering just over her shoulders. She knew what he was doing, he had done this time and time again. He'd place his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them up and down her arms in a form of affection to make her feel like he cared, when in fact she knew he didn't. Sasuke regarded Sakura before him, "You hate me?" He replied darkly. "I distinctly remember all the times you telling me you loved me." Hands very lightly cupped themselves on the tops on her shoulders, inching their way down her arms. Typically, this act would of melted her resolve. It had worked before, so she wasn't surprised her was doing it yet again. This time, though, it only served to fuel the erupting flames that was her anger. Sakura scoffed, "Loved you? Loved _you?_ Maybe back in the beginning, I did. But after everything you've said to me, done to me...it's turned to hatred. I only stuck around because you were familiar, and you had convinced me that you were going to commit to us." She gave a bitter chuckle that caused Sasuke's breath to hitch. "Boy, was I fucking wrong. You listen here, fucker. I want you out of my apartment, NOW. Then, I want you to stay out, _forever._ Delete my number, move on, never try to come by here or me again."

"And if I don't?" Sasuke challenged, removing his hands from her arms.

Sakura gave another heckle, cocking back her arm with her fist tightened, "I'll rip your cock off and feed it to you, you got me?"

With that, she laid into him.  
Years of pent up hurt, anger, misery, abuse, frustration, insecurity, worthlessness...all wrapped up in one fury-filled super punch.

The hit landed square in his face, right on the bridge of his nose and in between his dusty black eyes. The force of her punch caused his head to slam back against the wall with an audible thunk. Sasuke slid down to the floor, holding his now bleeding face in his hand. She noted with satisfaction that the blood was gushing in spurts, getting all over his naked body and, unfortunately, her floor. "What the fffuuuccckkk," Sasuke groaned into his hands, head lolling side to side.

Sakura squat down to get eye level with Sasuke, who looked everywhere but at her. "You've got five seconds to leave before I kick you so hard in the dick, you'll never be able to repopulate your weak, pathetic blood line."

"But my clothes-" he began.

"Ah!" Sakura decapitated. "Five...four..."

With a disdainful look in his eyes, Sasuke scuffled to his feet, tripping as he made his way towards the door. He paused by the couch, leaning down in attempts to pick up his shirt while still holding his face. Seeing the opportunity, Sakura gave him a swift kick in the ass, causing him to shoot forward and fall on his face. In that moment, she felt like herself again. Sakura felt like the strong woman her father told her over and over she was. Sasuke let out a string of swear words, all directed at her. "You can call me a bitch all you want," Sakura shot. "But better to be a bitch that some pussy ass coward who doesn't know the first thing about being a man." Getting back on his feet, Sasuke turned to shoot one last look at Sakura, his eyes radiating what could only be deciphered as betrayal, as if he never saw it coming that she would snap. Sakura met his gaze evenly, refusing to be stared down anymore.

Sasuke stumbled out of the apartment and her life.

Looking back, as much as she later held herself and cried like a big baby, Sakura was grateful for whatever invisible forces had let that come into play. After she kicked him out, it took Sakura five months to recuperate from everything. When she was finally starting to feel like she was getting a hold of herself again, she knew without a doubt what her next step was going to be. Especially now that she had nothing holding her back; no strings attached. It was that night that she looked at herself long and hard in the mirror. She wasn't the woman she remembered herself being, but that didn't mean she was going to become a better one. Sakura made a vow to herself, that she would never prioritize a man, let alone any other person, over herself again if it meant jeopardizing her metal health and needs. She was going to chase her dreams, live her life vicariously, and be grateful for the abrupt opportunity.  
Once the choice was made, it was forever burned into her heart, allowing no one to change it ever again.

The sound of Sakura's mom sighing heavily brought Sakura back to the present.

Sakura's mom fumbled with her hands, "Honey, it's not like that. I just...I just wanted to raise you up into a fine young woman."

Sakura rolled up her blanket, stuffing it into a bag. She turned to her mom, her tone softer now. "Mom...I appreciate you and everything you've done. I really do. And I love you more than you can understand. But, raising a fine young woman doesn't mean that I have to settle. Imagine if I had settled with Sasuke, I would have been miserable. But, this? Moving to Tokyo and starting a whole new life? This is what I really want, and it's what I'm going to do. You can either support this or hate it, but it's not going to change my mind."

After a pregnant pause, her mom slumped her shoulders in defeat, "Fine...you've always been so stubborn...but I suppose...I understand, Sakura. And you know that you'll always have my support. Just, promise you'll call, okay? It doesn't have to be every day, but I'd like to hear from you. I just want to make sure your safe and thriving. I only want the best for you, for you to live your best life and be happy. If that means it's different from what I was raised to believe, that's okay. You know I love you, cherry blossom." She held out her hand, cupping Sakura's cheek softly.

Sakura held back the surge of emotion she felt, instead replacing the threatening onslaught of tears for a wide smile, pulling her mom in for a tight, warm hug; knowing that this was going to be one of the last hugs she'd get from her mom in awhile.  
"I love you too, Mom."

* * *

_Author's note! When I first published this chapter, I had autocorrect on my laptop that was changing Sasuke's name to Saskue for some odd reason and I didn't catch on until someone pointed it out in the reviews and I changed it on my computer! I've gone back through now and fixed it- thanks for your patience and looking past that! Love yall, Kira._


	2. Settling In

**Writer's note: I forgot to add on the first chapter, I 100% do NOT own Naruto or it's characters. I'd also like to add, while this isn't my first time writing, this is my first time sharing my writing with others! So feel free to please leave a review to let me know what you think. I've got big ideas for this particular story, and I would love for all of you to join me for the ride. (: And while there is no smut in this chapter (Ah, fret not. There will be smut. The smuttiest smut that's ever been...smutted...*eye twitch*...okay, maybe not THE smuttiest smut, cause some of y'all are kkkiinnnkkkaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy, not that I'm complaining, heeeeyyyoooo...anyways, there will be lemons and the like) this story is rated M because it does have mature content AND language. If you're not 18+ I recommend you turn back, age up, and then come back for a good read. Alrighty kitties, here's the next chapter. Again, please leave a review, they serve as offerings to feed my withered soul. **

Sakura almost couldn't handle the weepy goodbye her mother gave her at the airport. Even her father, who was a rough and gruff, punch 'em and leave 'em type of man, had a few solitary tears manage to slip their way out of his eyes.

After what felt like a lifetime of hugging, kissing, saying goodbye...just to be hugged even tighter by her mother as if to act like an anchor to keep her there; Sakura made her way onto the plane and into the air. She got lucky and managed to find a flight that was one straight shot, seventeen hours in total. Long hours never bothered Sakura, she was used to them working at the hospital, but she was also typically busy working on someone or something. Seventeen hours of sitting to herself, peering outside the window into the pitch black, left her to her own thoughts. First and foremost, she felt a pang of guilt for her pets, a cock-eye'd pug named Rocky Balboa and a very hefty cat named Chonk, who were sat in kennels in hold five. She knew they must be confused and scared, this was their first time travelling anywhere. She was thankful that they were taking just one flight and not having to stop to take multiples as that would of definitely stressed them out more. Moreso, she was thankful for how all the arrangements for this move fell into place perfectly.

One of the first things she did to prepare for the move was ensure that she was going to have a job when she got there. It took about of month of applying, calls, rejection, missed calls, more applying, over the phone interviews; she was starting to feel a little hopeless until she came across an application that seemed too good to be true. The job was for a hospital right smack dab in the middle of Tokyo, Eiju General Hospital that was, from her research, a flagship hospital in Tokyo that offered advanced medical care, which is what she was looking for to begin with. Along with the regular duties that came from being a surgeon's nurse (which varied from typical nursing duties, to assisting in a surgery, to sometimes performing small operations herself, handling high risk situations), she would also be tasked with the title of "Travelling Nurse." The details in the application stated that some clients will pay the fee for in house care, so she would be the one to go there and assist the patient. The offering pay was enough to take her breath away, even more to her surprise that not even a week after applying, she received a call to do an interview with one of the surgical doctors, Dr. Hanzo Tanaka. As nervous as she had been, the interview went shockingly smooth, the two even sharing in some laughter as they seemed to get along really well. Several days later, Tanaka reached out to Sakura again offering her the job, stating that she would be perfect for the position, and jokingly adding that having a cute American girl around (even though her parents were Japanese, their family had moved to America generations ago) would be perfect. Tanaka then followed up with an offer to help not only pay for her flight to Tokyo, but email her a list of apartments in the city for her to look at. "When you find the one you like," he stated. "Just send me an email of that specific flat and we will take care of the first three months rent, just so you can get on your feet. We will allot you moving costs, too, in case you need food or anything."

Sakura was dumbstruck. What Tanaka was offering just seemed too good to be true. Even if this was an elite hospital she was going to be working for, most businesses offered deals like this for someone already working for the company to have them relocate.

When she asked him why they were being so hospitable, Tanaka actually laughed at her and replied, "It's not often that we get an American with your qualifications to apply at our Hospital. We pride ourselves on advanced medical care, so we only have the best of the best working for us. You have the schooling, you have the hours of interning under your belt, as well as a couple surgeries from what I've seen on your file we managed to get the hospital you interned fax it to us. I also went ahead and called that hospital's lead surgeon, and Mrs. Jones had nothing but good things to say about you. You seem very likable and driven, and to be honest that's been lacking here lately. I think if they others see someone like you at work, they'll catch wind and change their attitudes, too. It will be a pleasure to have you on our team and apart of our hospital, Sakura." Though his words overwhelmed her to the point that she wanted to cry happy tears, she remained sweet and professional over the phone with him, relaying just how grateful she was for the opportunity. Once she found the apartment she wanted and called the complex to set everything up, the bill was emailed to Tanaka who happily took care of it; all she had to do was show up and move in.

She just couldn't imagine everything working out the way it did for her. If she was being honest, it felt like a dream. Sakura worried that she would snap awake, laying in bed at her old apartment next to a careless Sasuke. She hoped that she would get along with her coworkers there, that the patients would take to her, and that travelling wasn't going to be an issue. The only snag that she came across was the fact that she wasn't going to have a car in Tokyo, but Tanaka had said that there are subways and taxis and for the most part everything was within walking distance. Which Sakura didn't mind, she loved walking and felt that walking to and from work every day would really help to get her head in the game, clearing all anxieties she might have.

Staring into the darkness, Sakura saw her reflection worrying her lip. She wanted to say that she felt confident doing this, to a degree. She also felt incredibly nervous, but who wouldn't in her position? She was quite literally starting a whole new life in a whole new world. It's what she wanted, obviously, but she wondered if she would make friends. Back in Long Island, Sakura honestly didn't have many friends. Between school, interning, working, her family, and Sasuke; she never had time. There were acquaintances and colleagues, but that was the extent of it. They were all simple, polite relationships. She never had a best friend that she could divulge information about the goings on of her life to. She wasn't awkward when it came to social interaction, if anything she found herself to be quite forth going and charismatic. However, at the time, she had so much going on that a friend really wasn't her focus. She wondered, though, if she had a best friend, maybe the length of her relationship with Sasuke could of been cut short. Any person with a brain stem would of talked her out of him, told her to move on, that she deserves better. Sakura decided that she was going to try her hardest to really make friends in Tokyo. Tanaka had already emailed her her schedule, saying that it was going to be pretty set except for the random house call here and there; which meant she'd have time to socialize. She'd have time to really explore Tokyo, every alley, shop, and street.

Her reflection smiled at her.  
This was really happening.  
_Holy-fucking-shit, this is happening._

Despite the excitement that coursed through her veins, Sakura did her best to close her eyes and focus on her breathing. Counting each breath, falling asleep slowly, waiting for the moment when she can wake up in Tokyo.

It's been four days since Sakura moved into her apartment in Tokyo.  
The taxi ride to her apartment was nothing short of magical for her.

It was closer to nighttime when they arrived, meaning that the city of Tokyo was alit with neon lights and signs. The brilliance of the effervescent lights reflecting off of the black wet streets dazzled her. Even at night, people were walking about the streets; hoisting umbrellas, stopped at food stands, going into pubs, bars, and buildings. Trees were planted here and there along the concrete, bus stops crowded with all types of people. Young, old, businessmen, drunks, musicians- you name it. She wiggled in her seat impatiently, wanting nothing more than to dive out of the moving car and explore the vast city for herself. Alas, she knew that she would probably break her neck and though she loved Tokyo, dying her first day there wasn't ideal.

Sakura was lucky that the apartment complex she was staying at had two-day shipped her key to her, so that she had it when she arrived. Even luckier, that she didn't have to worry about furniture because the apartment came furnished; nothing dramatic, just your basic furniture and appliances. Regardless, she counted her lucky stars. She had dread having to stay in an apartment with no furniture and having to spend all her saved money on new furniture. It was almost eerie to her how good things seemed to be going, how everything just fell into place at the right time. Thinking on it, Sakura felt like she should know better. Things never went according to plan for her, the one consistent thing she could count on was something going wrong. Maybe it had more to do with constant anxiety Sasuke had put her under, but it was a feeling that she had gotten used to and nearly relied on.

When she showed up at the apartment, it took her sometime to find the room, as the layout of the complex was a bit confusing. A big office with what seemed to be a mini apartment as a lobby- with a kitchen and all- came around in a circle that narrowed down a hallway that then split three ways: left, straight ahead, and right. Each direction had the first floor level, as well as a set of stairs. The taxi driver, whose name was Akira, was more than happy to help her figure out where her room was. After they found it, he went a step further to help her bring all her bags inside, as well as the kennels for her pets. Sakura's apartment was on the eighth floor, last door down the left side of the building, number 888. When they had finished bringing all of Sakura's things up, she made a point to tip Akira nicely, and thanked him for his incredible kindness. With a toothy grin, he took the tip and waived to leave, but not before he stopped and mentioned, "There are a lot of restaurants still open at this time of night, Tokyo never sleeps, really. I placed on top of your dresser some menus that I got from some other food places, they deliver. I hope you enjoy your stay in Tokyo."

"Aw, Akira. Thank you, I really appreciate that!" Sakrua chirped sweetly, placing her hand on her chest. Akira gave a slight bow and a head nod, turning away and leaving.

"Why is everyone being so nice to me?" Sakura mused aloud, opening her apartment door and pushing past her bags that had been set close to the door way.  
The apartment was nothing short of breathtaking.

Sakura knew she was going to make good money at her new job, she new how much her bills were going to be, but she didn't anticipate that her new home was going to be so..._modern._ There was a deep navy blue couch that had a texture similar to velvet. In front of it sat a small circular coffee table with some magazines sprawled across it. There was a tv on the wall, it looked to be thirty two inches and very nice, even if it was an older model, she didn't care. The kitchen was clean, white granite counter tops met matte stainless steel appliances. The cabinets were the same ivory white that the granite counter tops were. Upon opening them, she noticed that were was just a couple of plates, bowls, and cups. The living room opened up to a small dining room, with the kitchen spreading out behind both of them. A small hallway lead down to a bathroom on the right, with the master bedroom at the very end of the hall. Peaking in the bathroom, she was greeted with a theme of black and white. Black bathroom sink, down to even the faucet itself being a matte black metal. The tiles on the wall were ivory like the kitchen, the tiles on the floor black and white opposing each other. The shower curtain was heavy and pitch black with a clear liner behind it. The tub looked relatively deep, Sakura delighting in the fact that she could now take bubble baths and drink wine. Her small apartment back in Long Island only had a very cramped shower, so cramped that she could barely lift her leg to shave without knocking everything over. Rising above the tub looked to be one of those fancy shower heads that you could take off the wall and use. Examining closer, she noted that the rings around the shower head indicated different settings. She felt a very naughty tingle at the thought of just _what _she could do with all those options...

Finally, she reached the master bedroom at the end of the hall. Opening the door, she was surprised to see a rather large bed right in the middle of the room, headboard pressed back against the wall. The bed had to be queen sized, she guessed. She wasn't a fucking bed size expert, to her it was just "big" and she was happy with that as she liked to sprawl out. The blanket, sheets, and pillows on the bed were the same deep navy blue of the couch. Running her hand along the pillow and sheet, they felt silky like satin. The comforter was silky on top, whereas underneath it was heavy and felt like cotton. If that wasn't enough, the view she was allotted did it in for her. Her room was surrounded by large windows, the curtains all pushed back to reveal the glow of the city before her. To her left was glass sliding doors that lead to a balcony. Dumbstruck, she slid open the door and walked out, a chilly breeze grazing up her arms, leaving goosebumps in its' wake.

Sakura just couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Before her, high up in her apartment, she could see a lot of Tokyo laid out. Bright lights, tall buildings, busy bodies, buses, and cars. She could see steam rolling out of chimneys of food shacks, the slight drizzle in the air adding a dreamy, dewy effect to everything she was witnessing. Even in the city, the air smelled like rain. Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, humming to herself when the wind tickled the hairs on the back of her neck. Under where her balcony hung, the apartment complex had a small tea garden. She could see the stone path trailing around the garden, with small garden lights on either side every two feet or so. There was a small pond that she was sure had live fish in it, with lily pads and flowers. At the end of the garden, there was even a small Buddhist Butsudan that she assumed anyone was welcome to walk up to and use.

Sakura just couldn't believe that she was here, in Tokyo.  
The city of her dreams.  
The place of her dreams.  
Sakura was in the city of her dreams, chasing her dreams.  
As much as she didn't want to acknowledge it, hope bloomed bright and big in her chest. She was so used to being let down, but standing there as she took everything in, Sakura came to this sole conclusion: she is the master of her fate, and it is all in her hands.

She was going to make the best of every moment.

No more sulking Sakura. No more cursing the day Sakura. In that simple moment, Sakura killed her old sense of self and buried her deep, deep into the earth as an offering for the birth of her new life ahead.  
Nothing was ever going to be the same after this.

The next three days following had consisted of Sakura unpacking the things she did bring, and waiting for her parents to ship everything else that she couldn't take. Rocky Balboa and Chonk adjusted easily to their new environment; Chonk just sort of plopping wherever she liked and sleeping the day away. Rocky, on the other hand, did what he always did: stayed by Sakura's side through whatever she was doing. Having trained him well, she had no problem with him walking beside her where ever she went because she knew he wouldn't take off. Knowing that she had only brought enough food for the two for a couple of days, Sakura swallowed her nervousness and made the break to step out of her apartment to a local shop to grab them some food. "Come on, Rocky," She sang song by the door. With a wheezy snort, Balboa made his way to Sakura, waddling along as they went down the elevator, out of the complex, and down the street.

Though she wanted to really navigate the city on her own, Sakura knew jack shit on where she was going and was thankful for her phone. She looked up the nearest market, which wasn't but four blocks away. Balboa trotted happily by her side, pausing every now and then to sniff something or pee on it. Sakura made sure to take in her surroundings, memorizing noticeable buildings, street signs, and anything else that would make it easier for her to make her way through the city without getting lost. The city was bustling with bodies, and even though it was busy, no one seemed to mind Rocky. They'd simply give a polite smile and walk around him. Making their way down the first two blocks, Sakura noticed that the market they were going to must be just a couple other blocks away from the major food market. As bad as she wanted to meander that way and sight see, she was anticipating all of her other stuff to be delivered today and wanted to be there when it arrived.

By the time they reached the grocery store, Sakura's nose was red from the chill in the air and her breath came out in the smallest of frosty puffs. Walking into the store, she could hear a woman's voice exclaiming, "Kon'nichiwa! Welcome to Chofu!" Sakura glanced over to the sound of the voice to see a petite woman, maybe in her fifties, waving excitedly. She had short black hair and bangs that bobbed with each wave. "Hello," Sakura smiled back, mimicking the woman's gesture. When the woman noticed Rocky at Sakura's side, she quite literally squealed at the top of her lungs, arms up in front of her and fists balled. "It's a little dooooooooooog!" She squeaked. "How cccuuuuuuuuuuuute! Can-can I pet it?" She leaned forward expectantly, eyes wide with excitation.

"Sure," Sakura giggled.

The woman gave another small peep, almost leaping over to Balboa. She squat down, letting him sniff her hand for a brief second. Balboa wagged his nub, licking her hand. A wide smile spread across her angular face while she cooed at Rocky how cute she was. After a minute or so, she stood back up, directing her smile at Sakura this time. "Hello," she began. "My name is Usagi Omori!"

"Haruno Sakura," Sakura replied. She stretched a hand to her dog, "This is Rocky Balboa."

Omori laughed, "How cute!"

"Thank you," Sakura smiled.

"Do you need help with anything?" Omori inquired, glancing back down at Rocky for a second.

"Actually, I do. I'm new here, and I am looking for the dog and cat food?"

"Oh, you're not from here? I thought so," Omori placed a hand on her hip. "You're an American!"

"Well my family is Japanese but we've lived in America for generations now," Sakura explained.

Omori nodded knowingly, "Yes, yes. More and more people of Japanese decent are moving back to their motherland, did you know that? It's like their heart knows where their real home is."

"It feels that way," Sakura agreed.

"Are you just visiting? Oh, the pet food is right down here, follow me-" Omori whipped around and lead the way, expertly weaving around displays that stood in the middle of the walkway.

Sakura followed, "Uh, no. I moved here for good!"

"Really?" Omori piqued. "So, do you have family here?"

They were stopped now, standing in front of the pet aisle. Omori had her body turned towards Sakura now, waiting expectantly for an answer. Sakura didn't know why, but there was something about this woman that made her want to explain herself? She hadn't even done anything wrong, but Omori radiated a nurturing vibe, that of a mother, and it effected Sakura. If anyone else she didn't know had been butting their nose into her business without actually knowing her for bit, she'd tell them to fuck off. With Omori, Sakura definitely sensed she was nosy, it was all in good heart. Or so she hoped so. She'd feel like a fucking idiot if she just told some random woman all of this information and leave a bad impression her fourth day in Tokyo. "No," Sakura answered matter-of-factly, "I don't have any family here. It's just me."

At this, Omori frowned deeply, her thin eyebrows knitting together, "You're by yourself? Oh honey, no! Do you have boyfriend here with you?"

Sakura could feel her cheeks going a little red, "No."

Omori gasped, dramatically, too. "No family?! No boyfriend?! Oh honey, no! That is so sad, baby. Well, how about this," Omori placed a dainty hand on her own collarbone. "I'll be your first friend!"

"I'm sorry?" Sakura sought, a little incredulous.

"I sssaaaiiiddd, I'll be your first friend in Tokyo!" Omori repeated, a happy smile across her face.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Sakura began. "You don't even know me, I don't want to bother you. I just moved here and I know that-"

"Bah!" Omori cut Sakura off with a wave. "Don't be stupid. Tokyo is a big city to be alone in. I would be happy to be your friend! When you get more settled in, feel free to come by and we can set up a time that we can walk our dogs together or go get tea!"

"Uh...well...thank you?" Sakura stated slowly.

"Yup!" Omori nearly shouted. "Anytime, Sakura! I've got to get back to work, but I mean it! Come by so we can set something up!"

Omori skipped away with another wave, down to the opposite end of the big grocery store. Sakura stood where she was for a moment, only slightly baffled at their interaction. She had met some outgoing people in her life, but she was positive Omori topped them all now. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Sakura looked at the time. "Shit," she hissed. It was thirty minutes pass the time the packages were supposed to arrive. "Come on, Rock'n'roll. We've got to hurry back home." As quick as she could manage without looking like she was flat out running, Sakura grabbed food for the pets, checked out, and began to speed-walk back to the apartment complex.

Using the GPS again, they were able to make it back in twenty minutes. When they reached the entrance to the complex, Sakura glanced down to notice that Rocky was a panting harder than usual, because her speed walking equaled a full out run for him. With a sweet sorry, she scooped him up in her arms and headed in. There was a man sitting at the desk just in front of the doors, scribbling something down on the papers in front of him. His head shot up when Sakura walked in, "Hello, are you room 888? The new tenant?" His voice was more lilted, a couple octaves higher than most men would prefer.

"I am," Sakura answered.

"Oh, good. Some packages arrived for you. A lot, actually. You weren't home, and we didn't have room up here to put them. So they're sitting at your doorstep, taking up the hallway I might add." He paused to look up from writing, casting an annoyed mien.

Sakura scowled, but she worked hard on trying to mask the irritation in her tone, "I'm sorry. I'm on my way there right now, I'll get them out of the way."

"Mmmh, good." He replied, still not looking up from his writing.

_What the fuck is his deal?_ Sakura thought, crossed.

Well, maybe not everyone was being nice to her.  
She sort of felt relieved.

The moment Sakura stepped out of the elevator and down the hall, the sight of it causing her to cringe with embarrassment. Sure as shit, there were at _least_ fifteen boxes at her doorstep, none of which were small. They were all medium to large, taking up the width of the hall. The more she neared, the more she saw writing all over them, of which she recognized immediately as her mother's handwriting. Setting Balboa down, Sakura leaned over the boxes to read what was written on them. Obviously, they were labeled. 'Sheets,' 'Toiletries,' 'Books,' 'Kitchenware,' and, even one whole box labeled 'Panties,' with a little heart dotting the 'i.' Everything else that was written on the boxes were small confessions of love from her mom. Things like, "You're my precious baby" and "Don't forget to call us every day." The panties box had, "You're my sweet cherry blossom," written across the top big and wide. Sakura didn't know if her mom was purposely trying to fuck with her or not. Either way, she needed to get these out of the hall ASAP. Just thinking about who could of seen these sent blood rushing to her face.

With a deep suspire, Sakura unlocked her apartment door and began to nudge boxes in with her foot. Her door only opened partially, mainly because there was a stack of empty boxes beside the front door that she still needed to take out. The box she was nudging became lodged between the door and the door frame, the door giving her resistance when she tried to push it open all the way. She was trying to do this quietly, she didn't want to draw attention to herself and have some neighbor pop out to see her struggling like some idiot. "One...two...three..." On three, Sakura used her shoulder and put force against the door, causing the boxes behind it to crush and the door to open wider; but not without the sound of the doorknob slamming into the wall. The sound echoed down the otherwise quiet hall. Sakura froze, eyes squeezed shut and cursing internally. Three beats passed before she let out the breath she was holding in, as if that was going to stop anyone from investigating. First, all the boxes blocking the hallway. Second, the loud bang like she had a temper tantrum. She didn't want to be seen as _that _neighbor.

With more room to fit the boxes, she started to pick them up one by one and take them inside; Rocky following her back and forth each time she did. While most boxes were easy to carry, she decided to leave the heaviest for last so she could get the lighter ones out of the way quicker. Sakura picked up the panties box (which, why in the world did her mom dedicate an entire box to just her underwear? Yeah, she was somewhat a collector of pretty panties, but a whole ass box?), and turned to take it inside. She lifted her foot to step, just as Rocky moved to follow her, only for some reason he lept _in_ her way. Seeing this, Sakura moved to side step him at the same time he darted over to the side trying to get out of her way. Sakura moved over again, and again he darted in the same direction, seeming confused on what was happening. "Roc-ky!" Sakura hissed through her teeth, shifting backwards sharply to get out of the situation all together. In doing this, her Achilles heel hit the heavy box hard, causing her to teeter backwards until she fell flat on her back, box shooting out of her hands and against the wall behind her. Sakura's head throbbed at the immediate contact of the concrete floor beneath her. Her feet were up on top of the heavy box, the rest of her body slinked against the floor. Rocky came up to her face, wet nose sniffing her eyeball. "Rock," She growled, waving him away.

As Sakura sat up, she rubbed the back of her head. She knew that was going to turn into a migraine. Once she gathered her bearings, she observed her surroundings. Shrewn all around her, was a multi-colored fiasco of panties. Cute ones, lacy ones, thongs, boy shorts, and even ones with garters attached. Sakrua closed her eyes, tossing her head back, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ffffuuuucccckkkk mmmmmeeeee," she groaned outloud.

To her right, she heard what was a man clearing his throat.  
"Do you need some help?"

Sakura caught her breath and stiffened. Manners say that she should look at who was offering her a helping hand, but her pride said otherwise. There was no way she was getting caught in this situation right now. She was for sure going to be _that _neighbor. Without opening her eyes, Sakura straightened more, shifting her weight to where she was on her knees. She rubbed the back of her neck to help offset the rising heat there. "Oh," she feigned a laugh. "no thank you, I'm fine."

"You sure? It's honestly no big deal, I can-"

Sakura opened her eyes briefly to see a hand reaching out towards a pair at the same time the man was talking. Without thinking, Sakura shot out and slapped the hand, "No!" She barked harshly. Catching what she just did and her tone, she rubbed her face with her hands, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. This is all so embarrassing. Not to offend you, but I'll take care of this by myself. Thanks, though."

"Suit yourself," the man replied nonchalantly. She couldn't see him, but she could hear the smile in his voice.

Sakura waited until the man's footsteps faded away. When she knew she was alone, she let out another very loud groan, "UUUUUGGGGHHHH, FFFFUUUCCCKKK MMMEEE DDDUUUDDDEEE."

Yep.  
She was settling in nicely.


	3. Noticed

**Hey there, kitties. I wanted to explain that the ages of the characters here are all on par. Majority of the characters will be in their late 20's (25-28) where as Mr. Hatake will be 30. He wont be way older than the characters, that's because I wanted a more tight-knit sense of brotherhood between them, versus student/teacher. Okay, I'm done. As always, reviews gives me an extra day out of the fiery bowels of Beelzebub's depths. Happy reading!**

He first saw her out on the balcony. Her eyes were so wide and bright, her amazement amazed him.  
She looked ethernal, her smoky sweet hum cast down the breeze, vibrating in his ears.

He hadn't meant to see her, he was just coming home from a job. Albeit, through his balcony, but coming home nonetheless.  
He hadn't meant to stare, he just wanted to go inside and take a hot shower.

But he noticed her. How couldn't he?

The glow of the moon had cast down on her pink hair, crowning the top of her head in coral light, making her an angel on earth. He watched her plump lips part when she closed her eyes and leaned into the wind. It almost devastated him, how fucking pretty she was. He'd seen a lot of women, they didn't call him lover boy for nothing, but he'd never been taken aback by one before. He'd never been caught like a fucking moron just staring, at least not out of his own control. It was a scene he committed to burning deep into the reservoir of his mind, so he was free to pull it back up on a rainy day. He watched her small hands grip the balcony, the way her eyes raked over the tea garden below them. She looked like she'd never seen something so beautiful, and he wondered the same thing, too.

He saw her again in the hallway, surrounded in a plethora of panties.  
He hadn't meant to come upon her, he was just leaving for a job when he heard something slam on the floor.  
He hadn't meant to say anything, he was just going to walk around the other way as to avoid her.

But he said something. How couldn't he?

She looked pretty embarrassed, the way she was pinching her nose and sighing heavily. He snickered a little when he heard her say "fuck me" the first time. He figured, she'd probably appreciate the help. Then again, it's not like it was paperwork that was scattered all over the hallway. It was panties that surrounded her, her panties. At least, he hoped so. It would only be a little unnerving if she had a box full of someone else's panties.  
Then, that raised the question.  
Why a big _box_ full of them?  
Not just sort of full, not just a few tossed in there along with some other things. From the looks of it, that box, top to bottom, was full of nothing but panties.

Was she a panty connoisseur? Was that her thing?  
He wondered if she committed to wearing each and every one, or let herself slide and go commando for a day…

He was getting off topic.

The way he saw it, this could go one of two ways. Seeing at she was already pretty mortified, someone offering a helping hand could be seen as a life saver. "Oh, thank you, mister!" She'd exclaim with her hands clasped on either side of her head. They'd be crouched down together, collecting panties and tossing them into a box, making small talk. Or, option B, she would absolutely freak out on him, probably call him a pervert—something he was pretty used to—and tell him to fuck off, forever marring is reputation as the pervvy neighbor who wanted to fondle all of her fallen panties.

Was that something he was really willing to risk?  
Additionally, did he care?  
The answer was no.

If he had one shot at looking at her head on, he was going to take it. Her profile from the side had taken his breath away, and he only wanted a little closer just to see what she looked like face to face. Not to mention, being the bastard that he was, he'd love to gauge a reaction out of her, to see how she was going to take to some man offering help picking up the seemingly thousands of panties that exploded around her. He wondered, would she be flustered? Would she be flattered? Would she kiss him on the cheek to thank him for his kindness?  
The possibilities were endless. 

He was never one to walk away from any sort of situation or challenge anyways, regardless of how awkward it may be.  
Well, awkward for her.  
He never let himself get uncomfortable. It just wasn't in his nature.

He took his shot.

He cleared his throat first, just so she knew that someone was standing by. He spoke up second, simply asking if she wanted help. What he was expecting, was for her to whip her head in his direction so she could get a look at her knight in sweat pants. He was leaning against the corner where the hallways met, right hand in pocket, one foot crossed over the other. He braced himself, admittedly almost giddy for her to see him. Would she be wooed? He figured he was handsome enough, and even if his rugged good looks didn't seal the deal, surely his arsenal of poorly timed jokes would.

To his surprise, she didn't turn her head at all. He did see her body tense up, nins were supposed to pay attention to these things, but she kept her eyes closed. She adjusted her body only a little, but never opened her eyes. When her hand raised to rub the back of her neck, the contrast of pale to scarlet red was stark. "Oh," she emerged, eyes still closed. She laughed, he supposed to shake off whatever she was feeling, but there was also no way that was a real laugh. It was incredibly forced, to the point that he figured her lungs must hurt from how hard she had been pushing each "ha" out. Not that it really mattered to him, he got it. She was just trying to save face. "No thank you, I'm fine." She finished.

He had to admit, he liked the sound of her voice.  
Her voice was like melting honey. Soothing and sweet, something you didn't mind dripping all over you as long as you could lick it away…

He was getting off track.

For a split second, he thought maybe he should take her at her first no, and move on. Being the pushy bastard that he was, he thought, what's one more shot? There is a damsel in distress that needed saving, and damn it all he was going to save her. It was his civil duty, after all. No woman left behind. "You sure?" he had replied, shifting from his position against the wall to reach down for a particularly interesting pink and black set that was riddled with criss-cross ribbons. "It's honestly no big deal, I can—"

Quicker than lightening, her hand projectiled out, smacking his hard enough to send it jerking in the opposite direction.

"NO!"

He could of sworn he heard her "no" echo down the hall.

He watched her eyebrows arch in shock, her mouth a small "O." She exhaled, relaxing her features before her face fell into her hands, long pink ponytail swaying with the shake of her head. "I'm sorry. This is all so embarrassing. Not to offend you, but I'll take care of this by myself. Thanks, though."

When she slapped his hand, he had resumed his position against the corner again, stuffing his stinging hand in his pocket. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that this woman has some strength to her. Being just a couple feet away from her, even with her sitting on her legs, he'd noted that she appeared to have a nice figure. At least, from what he saw on the balcony and today. She looked fit, he could see the definition in her arms. Watching her shake her head the way she was, he figured maybe taking off was the best idea, least she have the mind to give him a black eye.  
Which he wasn't doubting she would, if she so quickly made the move to reprimand a total stranger to begin with.

If he was being honest, he liked her response. Even in her embarrassment, she still struck when her boundaries were crossed. Granted, the situation wasn't dire, but it was the insight he needed into evaluating her character. Over his left shoulder, he could see Kiba at the end, silently waving him down. He gave a nod, then directing his attention back to his new neighbor.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, "Suit yourself."

He moved then, around the meeting corners and down the following hall towards Kiba, who was tapping Akamaru's nose. He met Kiba, who began walking with him. "What took you so long?" Kiba asked, only slightly annoyed. "We've got a time sensitive job."

"My new neighbor was on the floor, with panties all over the place," he answered without missing a beat.

Kiba's face went blank, "Uh…what? Why did he have panties?"

"She," he corrected. "Probably because she's a woman and," he placed a finger thoughtfully on his chin, "if I remember correctly, I think women wear them? I don't know, don't quote me on it."

"Ooohhh, _ssshhheee." _Kiba sing-songed, glossing over the obvious jab to his intelligence. "Cute?"

He pinched his shoulders lazily, "Yeah, I'd say so. Some were lacy, some were made out of cotton. There was this one pair that—"

Kiba swatted his shoulder, "Not her panties, idiot. Your new neighbor. Was she cute?"

"Oh, _her._"

There was a pause.

"Well?!" Kiba pressed impatiently.

"Well what?" He questioned innocently.

Kiba rolled his eyes, "You're impossible. You know what, I'm going to take it that she is cute."

"And why's that?"

"You do this thing where when you see a woman whose pretty, you don't let us know she's pretty. You down play it. Then, each and every time that we see said woman, they happen to be pretty hot."

He scratched his chin, "Hmm. Maybe I just don't pay attention to looks? I look for what's on the inside. Saying a woman is cute is so superficial. What about her hobbies? Interests? Did you know that—"

Kiba huffed loudly before giving him a deadpanned look, "Sure. That's why when we do see you with a lady, she's always pretty hot? You know, I just think that you're like, possessive or something. Maybe just pee on her next time, so we all know she's yours."

"Kinky."

Kiba gave another roll of his eyes, but changed the subject about the job at hand, prattling on about the details that he already knew.

Sure, he hadn't agreed with Kiba that she was cute.  
The thing was, cute didn't cover it.  
She was wholly and completely stunning.

As much as he knew he should avoid her like the plague due to his line of work, something about her feistiness sparked his intrigue. She was mysterious and reserved, a tough egg he wanted to crack.

He'd never felt so stupid over a woman before, in such a small instance, but he figured there was a first time for everything. 

In that moment, he made a silent vow to himself.

Kakashi Hatake was going to get to know that woman, her most intimate details. He didn't know what the future would hold, but that was a promise he could start with. 


	4. First Day

The GPS said that the hospital was only thirty minutes away if she walked.  
Like she had figured before, walking wasn't so bad. Especially today, the mindless act was needed to help soothe her frazzled nerves.

Today was Sakura's first day at the hospital.

Even though she did her best to pace herself, take in her surroundings, and enjoy the walk; she found her steps quickening each time she thought about something that could go wrong. It was a misty, foggy morning in Tokyo. The air was dense with the promise of rain, she could feel the condensation pooling in her lungs with each intake of breath. Most businesses were already open, while some were barely getting started; men with trucks loading in supplies, a woman sweeping the steps of her shop and stopping to smile and wave at Sakura. Sakura waved back at the elderly woman with a small smile of her own, rounding the corner down the next street.

Every turn she took, the streets of Tokyo had something new to offer. Sleek, modern buildings, towering over the city with pride, traditional artwork sprayed on the sides of more hip places. Comic book shops with cute anime character cut outs in the window, even a small holistic medicine shop that Sakura made note to come back to and check out when she had the time. The closer she got to the hospital, the more contemporary the buildings and surrounding area started to become. She realized that's what came with any medical district in any city—the more clean and sleek it looks, the more likely someone will choose that hospital over others.

Before she knew it, looming over her was the massive expanse of her new job in Tokyo. She still couldn't wrap her mind around why the hospital had chose her. Even with Tanaka's thorough explanation, it seemed somewhat unreal. Most nurses at her age don't make it big off the bat, the process is gradual. You start small and build your way up, working for promotion after promotion. Her title wasn't much different than from the hospital in Long Island, but the pay was by far greater. She wondered if it could be more than just the traveling aspect of it. She swallowed the lump in her throat. How was this going to work out? Would they throw her to the wolves? Would the other hospital employees despise her because she was an American woman working in Japan? Surely they were used to that by now, right? Especially at such a prestige hospital like this one.

Sakura had done her research.  
Eiju General Hospital was advanced beyond any of the other hospitals in the district.

She had read nothing but good reviews about it—honestly, she literally could not find one person bitching, which is rare because hospitals have to give out bad news, so naturally people react to that however they choose and sometimes it's in the form of a really shitty review. Anything anyone had to say about Tanaka was nothing but kind words. Funny, caring, kind, thoughtful, to name a few. All the nurses there had only been talked about like each one was personally tending to their dear grandmother. One review even stated that a nurse named Ino was "tender."

Sakura stared back at the enormous building. People walked back and forth past her, not even paying attention to the fact that she was nearly frozen in place.

"Alright, Sakura. You've got this. You are educated, trained, and prepared for whatever is thrown at you. This is the place of opportunity, this is exactly what you were wanting and here you are. You've got this," She declared quietly. "I've got this."

Sakura pushed her shoulders back, lifted her chin, and raised her chest.

She didn't know what to expect, really. Whatever it was, with a sudden rush of adrenaline, she was ready to kick the day's ass.

The first half of the day had been pretty predictable and, if she was being honest, boring. Most of the onboarding protocol she had to do, she did back in Long Island on her computer. However, once she was lead to one of the offices, a nurse lead by the name of Himari sat her down and handed her two fat packets, prompting her to fill those out. "We had no way of sending you these, they're standard paperwork for employees here at the hospital that, technically, one of us has to witness you filling out and then we sign to confirm that you read it all and understood the guidelines. That being said, not that I don't want you to read all of that and take in everything, but we are pretty short staffed today, so I can't be back here long watching you flip some pages—no offense."

"We're short staffed?" Sakura probed curiously, not looking up from the packet to make it seem like she was being actively nosey.

Himari ran her hand through her choppy auborn pixie cut.

Himari was an older woman, she appeared to be in her early forties, maybe. She was a bit more heavy set, especially in the ass and thighs area. Her ass was so big, it could of doubled as a shelf if Himari really wanted it to. Sakura found herself sort of jealous when she got a full sight of Himari's behind. Sakura had never been curvy like that, she'd always been a willowed woman. Her hips didn't flare nearly as dramatically as Himari's did. Her breasts were nowhere near as fluffy and round as Himari's was. Sakura always loved the way women with some meat on their bones looked, especially if they owned it, of which Himari clearly did. The scrubs she wore seemed to hug her figure perfectly; cinching in her waist, and expanding out tightly over her bends. Himari knew what those scrubs did to her figure, and from the looks of it Sakura doubted that woman harbored any insecurities.

"Yes, hun. Short. Staffed. We've been that way for the past six months and let me tell you, it is E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-N-G. Our hours are the same, so it's not like we are working overtime, but the days are more hectic. We are doing jobs that we aren't supposed to be doing, helping where there's overflow, and moving onto the next task. Tokyo is a big city, and this being one of the primary hospitals, we get all patients of the like. Recently, a bug had gone around and we were so full that we almost didn't have any room to put some of them."

At this, Sakura flicked her gaze up, eyes wide. "Really? _Here?_ This place is so huge, that's hard to imagine."

Himari licked her teeth. "Hmph. You're telling me, honey. Between that and the crime related incidents, us being so short staffed, it's been a lot for everyone to deal with. Luckily, Tanaka understands, and that's why he's kept our hours the same. He thinks if we still get our regular days off, we'll be willing to work extra hard during our shifts and pull all the extra work possible."

"That make sense," Sakura agreed. "You said crime related incidents?"

Himari stopped, placing her hand on her hip and bobbing her head sassily, "Honey, we are in Tokyo. Yes, it's a beautiful place. But, it's also a big city, and with that comes a lot of crime. Sure, the police and government do a pretty good job about keeping most of it under wraps, but here," she pointed a finger down. "We are frontline with it. We get men in here with gunshot wounds, men being stabbed, people mugged for their money..."

"What do you do if you know they're a criminal?"

"Huh! What can I do, honey? I can't very well tackle them to the ground and tell them not to resist arrest. We do what we are supposed to do: our jobs. We attend to whatever the need is, and that's it. Don't engage with them, don't ask about it, and don't hang around longer than you have to. Sometimes, they don't even have to be criminals. They can just be a shifty patient. If you're uncomfortable, make it quick, and then get out of there. Surely you knew full and well about that in America, right?"

"Well, yeah…I guess I just…I don't know why it surprises me…" Sakura looked back down at the packet, pretending to be really interested in the paragraph in front of her to hide the fact that she felt like a fucking idiot.

Behind the raised packet, Sakura heard Himari grunt. "Don't be so hard on yourself, baybay. You're new here, you're still seeing it through rose colored glasses and who can blame you? Tanaka told me that moving here had been one of your dreams."

Sakura folded the top of the packet over to look at Himari, who was wearing a softer expression. "He told you that?" Sakura questioned.

"Oh, yyeeaahh! Honey, I am Tanaka's right hand woman. Anything you tell him will 100% get back to me. But," She leaned in, looked over her shoulder, and leaned in some more. "if you've ever got something to say that you don't want Tanaka to know, I'm your woman. I've got the tightest lips around Tokyo. So, feel free to tell me whatever is concerning you. Be it a patient, a coworker, your hours…whatever."

Sakura grinned. Himari made her feel at ease, somehow. There was an air about her that Sakura felt like she could really trust. She also really liked that Himari called her honey and bay-bay. It was like drinking hot soup on a cold winter day. Reassuring. "Thank you, I really appreciate," Sakura returned.

Himari gave an absent wave, "It's nothing, baybay. You done? We've really got to be going. We've got a lot of clients today for some reason and, even though I'd like to show you around the hospital more to give you the ropes, I'm throwing you out to handle some patients. Are you alright with that?"

For a second, anxiety had bubbled its way from her stomach and up to her chest. But, looking at the pure confidence Himari exhumed, Sakura couldn't help but squash the shit and replicate it.

Noticing her anxiousness, Himari spoke, "Don't worry, hun. I wont be far from you, so if you need anything you can just yell and I'll come running. Besides, I won't give you anyone too extreme. You might do some stitching, if it's called for, but that's pretty quick and easy. Now, are you done?"

Glancing down, Sakura flipped through the pages of the packet, finding the places where she was supposed to sign and filled them out quickly. Himari came to stand behind her and followed with her own sloppy signature. After everything was signed, Himari took the packets, tossed them over to another desk with a "there, let's go" and quickly led the way out of the office to the patient rooms.

Following Himari through the corridors of the hospital, Sakura did her best to take in everything she could so she'd have a better way of maneuvering the confusing building herself. She forgot how easy it is to get lost in a hospital, since she had been so used to the one she was working at before that she could get to where she needed to be with her eyes closed. Sakura noted two things as she worked on keeping up with Himari's surprisingly rapid pace. One, Himari must be really good with remembering people. Because, every person they passed, be it coworker, doctor, or patient; Himari knew. She'd say something to them in passing, waving, smiling, sharing some inside joke. Second, Himari must be the champion of multitasking and organization. Some people she passed, they shared standard hospital jargon back and forth. Some asking about specific patient charts, some about blood work and the like. Not once did Himari: A) stop walking and B) hesitate in answering any of their questions. She knew the answer to everything it seemed, speaking with an unquestionable confidence that made everyone take her at her word.

Sakura secretly hoped she could get to that point one day.

Pushing past several sets of double doors, Himari stopped at a desk that was a semi-circle off the wall. Sat behind it were two other women, one who looked busy typing charts into the computer, and the other wheeling around a cart that was used to carry supplies when visiting the patients in their room. Himari placed both palms flat down on the counter, clearing her throat to speak. In doing so, both women stopped what they were doing and immediately straightened when they saw it was her. "Good afternoon, Himari!" the one at the computer chirped, giving her glasses a small push with her knuckle.

"Haruko," Himari nodded, looking over at the other woman holding the cart, "Harumi. You girls keeping busy?"

"Yes!" They replied in unison.

It took Sakura a moment.  
Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two.

Same chocolate brown hair.  
Same diamond shaped faces, topped with cute, pointed noses.  
Four sets of honey-brown eyes.  
Four sets of glasses.

Sakura gasped audibly, tossing her head between the two, "You're twins?!"

Haruko giggled, "Yes."

At the same time, Harumi remarked, "What gave you that bright idea?"

Himari, who was both unimpressed and unfazed by Harumi's snarky remark, gestured a hand towards Sakura. "Ladies, I'd like you to welcome the newest addition to our team. This is Sakura. Along with nursing aside you two, she will occasionally assist Dr. Tanaka in surgeries. Aaannndd, she's our new travelling nurse, too! Say hello!"

"Thank god," Harumi groaned. "Finally, Tanaka hired someone else. I was getting tired of doing all this extra shit."

"Go bitch to someone who cares," Himari bit back sharply. "We're all putting in extra work, not just you, princess."

Harumi glared, but otherwise turned her attention back to the cart.

"It's nice to meet you, Sakura," Haruko beamed, unfazed by her twin's attitude. "You'll love being a travelling nurse, the nurse before you who did it always talked about how much she loved it."

"I'm really looking forward to it," Sakura kowtowed, nodding her head as she did.

"Alright, you ladies can get to know each other another time. Back to business. Haruko, as soon as your done inputting all of that information, I _need_ you to go down to the children's ward and do a quick check on the patients there, at least until the team for the next shift shows up. Harumi, after you do your rounds here, there are patient's on the second floor waiting for their blood to be drawn. I need you to go and draw their blood. Just leave the vials in the storage capsule when you're done. By the time the team for that shift arrives, they can handle it. We need to work quick and efficient today, we've got a lot on our plates. Even Miss Sakura here is going to be putting in some work on her first day, so no one is safe."

"Hai," both women nodded.

"Sakura, this way. From what I understand, we've got some patients in the emergency ward that need to be checked out. Again, this isn't your first rodeo, so you know that more than likely none of them will be an actual emergency. Handle them properly, if you come across anything serious, just grab me and I'll tell you what you need to do. Understood?"

"Understood," Sakura repeated.

The closer they got to the ward, as told by signs down the halls, the more excited Sakura started to feel. She figured as much they weren't expecting a lot out of her on her first day, but she was now determined to handle anything that was tossed at her with ease. Like Himari said, this wasn't her first rodeo. She's handled crisis situations, she's handled rather boring ones, too. The only difference was that she was in Tokyo, now. A hospital is a hospital, and she had all the skills necessary to succeed.

One last set of double doors, and Sakura was greeted with the hallway that had rooms all along side. If the door was open, that means that the room was empty. Each hallway had about ten rooms for patients, from what she could see. To her surprise, every single door was closed, meaning each room had a waiting patient in it. Through the small window of the door leading into the room they were in was the emergency waiting room, _loaded_ with people who were also waiting.

Himari was right, it was going to be a busy day.

Himari came to a stop at another desk, reaching over to pull out a writing board that had names written hastily in columns, along with numbers beside each name. Himari reached across the desk again to grab a red expo marker, using it to circle a column. "You see all of these in red? Those are your assigned rooms for the day. So, you've got the hallway across from us, numbers 11-20. I know that seems like a lot, but again remember, you're just checking them out. Do some small stuff if small stuff is needed, if it's major send them on to the next room where they'll be treated or ask me if you can handle it. 75% of the time, they're just here complaining about a stuffy nose. Go in order, from 11 to 20. You take this," She handed Sakura a clipboard that had stacks of papers on it asking for patient information. "write down just the basics, you know; name, age, sex, reason they're there, and if they were treated or not, if they left, so on and so forth. You got it?"

"I've got it," Sakura answered confidently.

Himari grinned, "I love that look on your face! First day on the job and you want to kick ass, honey. You and I are going to get along really well, I just know it. Alirght, let's get to work. When four rolls around, let's meet back at this desk so we can input this paperwork into the system really quick."

At this, they broke. Himari walked into room ten with a very loud, "Good afternoon!" while Sakura made her way across the room to the opposite hall. Grabbing the door handle, Sakura took a deep breath in. "I've got this." With a smile on her face, she walked in, greeting her first patient of the day.

Sakura had no idea why she had been so nervous.  
Nothing about what she is doing in Tokyo has changed from what she did in Long Island.

Patient after patient, Sakura sought to each and every one of their needs. From a mom worried about her son's constant nose bleeds, to a man who had rubbed his dick raw from masterbating—it wasn't unusual, if anything it was an instance that happened so often that the moment he, hesitantly, told her she popped out an answer and solution. Ear infections, colds, achy bodies; it was all standard for Sakura. Even though she was pretty tired, she lost count of how many people she had seen since there seemed to be a non-stop flow of patients (not unusual for the emergency ward), she was overjoyed at doing what she loved to do the most. Nothing made her happier than tending to a patient and making them feel better however she could. Sakura was undoubtedly in her element and thriving.

Around 2:50 it started to slow down, the time between patients being escorted to the rooms more staggered. This gave her time in between room jumps to go over the papers she had filled out, correcting or adding anything so it made it easier to input it into the computer. She had just finished with room 20, feeling somewhat satisfied with the sight of all ten of her doors open. Peering out of the window to the emergency room, she saw that there were only a couple people standing there now, still waiting to be seen and processed with gave her some time. She walked across to Himari's end of the hall just as Himari made her way out of room four. "Sakura," Himari approached. "need something, honey?"

Sakura shook her head, "Oh, no. All my rooms are cleared, and there's still some time until the patients in the waiting room are processed. I was here to ask if you wanted me to help anyone on your side?"

Himari stopped, shifting her weight back on her right foot to jut the opposing hip forward. "You're telling me you cleared them on your side?"

"Well, yes ma'am. They were all really easy stuff, though." Sakura tried to digress.

Himari's eyebrows jutted up, impressed. "Honey, easy or not, you took care of business and that's what I like to see! And you know what," she pointed at Sakura. "this is perfect timing, too. I've got way too much paperwork here, if we keep this up, we'll be inputting this all night. How about you give me your filled out charts, I'll take mine and get started on submitting them. You, go ahead and finish off everyone I've got down my hall. Like you said, it'll be another hour or so until those people out there are processed. That'll give us more than enough time to catch up. What time are you supposed to be off today?"

"I'm off at eight today, ma'am," Sakura responded, pulling the filled out paperwork off of the clipboard and handing them out to Himari.

Himari took the papers, "Okay, great. The second shift for here should be in at 5. When they show up, you and I can break for a little bit. Afterwards, if there isn't more work to be done, I'll give you an official tour of the hospital. How does that sound?"

Sakura beamed, crossing her hands behind her back. "That sounds great."

Himari gave a warm smile, "Great, honey. I know it's your first day and I shouldn't be judging your work ethic just yet, but I've just got to say: you're doing great!"

A small blush tinged Sakura's cheeks. She gave a small bow, "Thank you, Himari."

Himari raised her hand up, waggling her extended finger. "Oh, I should add. The room I was just in, he needs stitches. I told him that he should really wait for the doctor to see him to do it, but he opted for one of us to. All the tools you need are already in there. He's been made aware of the pain, and he is still consenting to one of us doing it. I'm going to leave him in your hands, I've seen your hospital form, I know you know how to perform simple stitching. The wound is bad, but not bad enough for me to _force_ him to see a doctor. Plus," she rolled her eyes. "if we tried to get him to wait, he would of just left at any rate. I've helped this particular men and his buddies before. I don't know what trouble those kids get into, but they're always in here. They say they're bouncers, but I don't believe it. Anyways," Himari blew out a gusty breath of air. "Don't fret. Simple suture, dress it, and send him on his way. Got it?"

Sakura lifted her hand in a small salute, "I've got it."

With another smile and wave, Himari broke away down the hall, through double doors, and out of sight. Sakura watched her go, hips swaying to and fro with each hurried step. Stretching out her arms and legs, Sakura stood in front of room four, breathing in her nose and out her mouth. "Simple suture," she whispered to herself. "You've done a million of them." Diligently, she turned the knob and pushed the door in. "Hello," she rang out, "I'm Sa—"

"Ugh Himari, why do you always make us wait forever, don't you love u—oh…you're not Himari." 

Standing in the middle of the room was a man who looked like he was around Sakura's age, with a huge, fluffy white dog sitting at his feet. He had dark brown hair that was swept back and stopped just at the base of his neck, a brief glimpse of a five o'clock shadow on his cheeks met with his goatee that came to a point. On his face were two red marks, starting just under his eyes and coming to a sharp point lower on his face. He was handsome, in a beastly sort of way. Sakura gave a sidelong gaze between the man and the dog, who had now moved to its feet and was wagging his big tail making a thump, thump, thump noise. The man crossed his arms, somehow sensing Sakura's apprehension about the dog being in a hospital. "Himari knows us. Akamaru is allowed in."

"Akamaru?" Sakura questioned. "But he's all white?"

He scoffed, "Y-yeah. It's more…his attitude. He can get real fiery, y'know?"

"I suppose so…Can I pet him?"

"Oh," he started, looking surprised that she asked to pet him, probably because not seconds ago she was eyeing him like she wanted to kick him out. "Sure, go ahead. He won't bite."

The man moved back some while Sakura took a couple steps towards Akamaru, holding out her hand and letting him investigate. Several beats passed before the dog gave a deep, heady woof; nearly tackling Sakura down in his excitement. Sakura widened her stance and braced herself for the dog's loving onslaught, anticipating that he was going to do that. She cooed in his ear, calling him the most handsome of boys and scratching deep down his chest causing him to kick his leg. As soon as she finished, she untangled herself from the dog and moved towards the sink that was in the room; washing from the very top of her arm all the way down. "Now," she started, still washing her hands with her back turned on the man and his canine. "what is your name?"

"Inuzuka Kiba," he replied from behind her.

"Kiba…" Sakura repeated, shutting off the faucet and reaching for the paper towels. "Himari said that you need stitches?" She dried off her arms and hands, tossing the wet paper towel in the trash. She turned back around to face Kiba, question on her face.

"Oh, no! No, I don't need stitches. My friend does, he's just—"

In the middle of Kiba's sentence, someone else walked in the room, talking.

"You know what I hate, Keebs? I hate how fuckin lost you can get in hospitals. I felt like I was in the twilight zone just trying to find damned the restroom."

"Ah, hey. Our nurse is here to help you with your stitches," Kiba chortled, directing a hand in Sakura's direction. The man that entered the room paused, eyeing Sakura gingerly.

"Oh, so _you're _the one that needs stitches?" She prodded, pointing at the silver-haired man. Sakura tried to hide the lump in her throat she just swallowed, hoping neither man had noticed. Somewhere deep in her head, a familiar bell was ringing. She felt like she'd seen this guy before, though she knows she certainly hasn't.

She would of remembered if she saw a man like him.

The air about him was feckless, his entire body radiating an aloofness that was beyond her. His physique was wholly chill, seemingly unbothered by anything and everything. He was certainly tall, at least six feet and some change. From where she was, she could tell that he was strong, the muscle definition was outrageously obvious, his body not thin, not bulky; he just appeared to be filled out appropriately for his height. He had a mess of silvery-white hair that was sticking up and around to the right more, shorter on the left and increasingly longer on the right, looking mussed as if he just woke up. His eyes were angular and cat-like, though somewhat heavy lidded like he just rolled out of bed. Thin, arched eyebrows complimented the shape of his eyes, accenting his expression perfectly. Straight nose met lips that weren't too full or too thin; his entire face seemed very cat-like and proportionate to itself. Just below the right corner of his lip sat a noticeable beauty mark that furthered to accent the ruggedly handsome expression that was his face. A strong jaw line started just wide enough at his throat, narrowing down to meet his chin. His face appeared clean shaven from what she could see, though that wasn't what caught her attention.

Bisecting from just inches over the top of his right brow, all the way down his right eye, to an inch past his cheek bone was a scar that stood out above everything else. Though it didn't mar his appeal, it certainly added a quality to the aspect that she couldn't put her finger on. Sakura wondered what must of happened for him to receive such a scar.

Sakura couldn't deny the physical response she felt pool in her stomach at the sight of him. Science says its pheromones and whatnot, so was she really to blame?

He leaned back against the door, knee raised with his left foot pressed against it, right hand in his pocket. "I am indeed that man," he replied cooly, a small smirk tugging at his lips, appearing as if he knew something she didn't.

_Oh, fuck,_ Sakura internally cursed. _Did he see me checking him out?_

"Himari is having…er, I'm sorry," Kiba spoke up, brow slightly furrowed. "I didn't catch your name when you walked in."

The sound of Kiba's voice broke whatever spell she had been in. Taking in a breath, she answered, "Sakura. My name is Sakura."


	5. Stitches

"Sakura. My name is Sakura."

Kakashi simpered only slightly. _Huh,_ he thought, _how fitting._

"Sakura," Kiba grinned. "Himari sent in Sakura with your stitches. Er, where is Himari, by the way? She was just in here not fifteen minutes ago?"

Sakura moved over to the sink, turning on the faucet and pumping soap into her hands, "Himari got pretty piled up with client paperwork, I was done on my end, so I came over to finish off the patients here so she could take care of some other things. That's not a problem, is it?" Kakashi noticed the aggressive way she scrubbed her hands, meticulously getting under her fingernails and in between her fingers. He perceived the way her shoulders appeared to be pinched at the middle curve of the blades, tense and tight.

"Didn't you just wash your hands?" Kiba inquired, squinting at Sakura.

Tugging hard at the paper towels, Sakura whipped around, "I am about to suture your friend here."

"But you literally just washed them, it seems redundant to go and do it again" Kiba persisted, oblivious to the annoyed expression on her face.

Sakura tossed the paper towel in the trash and placed a fist on her hip, "Kiba, you're irritating me."

Kiba balked, glancing over at Kakashi for back up.

Kakashi held his free hand up, "Let the lady wash her hands however many times she needs."

Kiba glowered, muttering something under his breath that Kakashi didn't bother paying attention to.

"Alright," Sakura motioned to the examination table positioned in the corner of the room. "if you could sit over here please, so I can take a look at the wound."

With a slow half-nod, Kakashi kicked himself off of the door and trundled his way to the examination table, the paper protector covering the table crinkling slightly when he sat down on it. He propped his left foot up on the small step attached to the table, letting his right foot rest lightly on the floor. Sakura strode to where Kakashi was sitting, standing about two feet away from him. With her standing directly in front of him, Kakashi had now a full front view of her face and body.

Stark, lustrous, witching emerald green eyes stared back at his inquisitively. Long, thick lashes framed her eyes, fanning out cat-like at the corners. Being in such a short distance from her, he could see the delicate draw of her honeyed, full-bodied lips. She had high cheekbones with smooth, ivory-cream skin stretching taunt over the tops of them and wrapping around her heart shaped face. Her hair was tied up into a high ponytail, curled locks cascading down in a rosy waterfall; her arched, rounded eyebrows mimicking the same rose color. Her beauty was astonishing, even with the one feature that most people would consider an eye sore.

Sat right in the middle of her forehead was a diamond shaped birthmark, its color a muted pink that stood out flush against her fair skin. It was maybe just over an inch in height, however it stood perfectly centered on her forehead. It's place there wasn't unsightly, rather it added to her overall exotic appeal in his eyes.

Raking his eyes from her head down her figure, Kakashi followed the ivory column that was her long neck, down to even shoulders and toned arms. Her slender frame housed a sinuosity of flesh, the ebb and flow of her curves a sonsy road Kakashi would be more than happy to drive. The graceful flare of her hips supported firm thighs and muscular calves. She looked hard and soft at the same time, fierce and darling. Her body was an immaculate temple that deserved to revered and worshiped; honored by only the most dedicated disciple. A goddess worth the ravish of offerings.

"Where is your wound?" Sakura queried, breaking Kakashi's train of thought. She must of seen his eyes wander, because her cheeks were hued slightly more pink than before.

"Ah, it's on my chest," Kakashi motioned with his hand.

"Okay," Sakura remarked with a bob of her head. "I'll need you to take off your shirt, please."

Without a reply, Kakashi grabbed the edge of his black long-sleeved shirt and began to pull it up slowly, revealing a black undershirt that appeared to have a rip across from it; the frayed ends of the fabric splaying out in random strands. He placed the long-sleeved shirt on the table behind him, looking up expectantly at Sakura. "I need you to take all of your shirts off," she asserted.

"I have standards, you know." Kakashi outset, fisting the end of his undershirt.

"I'm sorry?" Sakura asked, bewildered.

Gradually, Kakashi began to bring up his undershirt, careful to not jerk the fabric off of his chest too hard, as some of the undershirt had stuck to the gash due to blood. Once the undershirt was peeled off and set behind him, Kakashi turned his attention back to Sakura whose astonished eyes widened for a brief second before she regained her professional composure. "Call me a romantic, but unlike most men I like to be wined and dined before I take my clothes off," he finished with a smirk.

"Good one," Kiba snorted sarcastically from the other end of the room.

Sakura stepped closer to Kakashi, head dipped down where the wound on his chest was. He knew what it looked back. Starting just under the left side of his collar bone and dashing all the way across to a couple inches under his right nipple. Blood surrounded the gash and speckled in quarter sized globs all over his torso. Sakura lifted her hands to his chest, applying a soft pressure as she felt around it, from the top left side all the way down to the lowest right side. "Tell me where it hurts the worst," she ordered, expertly feeling her way around it. Kakashi thought that the feeling could have been nice, small fleeting touches grazing over his skin, had it not hurt altogether. The closer she got to the widest part, Kakashi let out a short hiss through his teeth, alerting Sakura. She plucked her head up, "Here?" She gave another soft press on either side. Fighting back a wince, Kakashi only nodded in response.

"Okay," Sakura whispered, gently pulling the ends of the gash open for a moment before pulling back, removing her hands from his chest. "It's deep, but the good news is that it's barely deep to pass for just stitches and nothing else. I'll let you know now, because of the width here," she squared her forefinger and thumb over the gash, "it will take a long time for it to heal, and you need to be careful for the next month or so with it. Otherwise, it can open back up. You'll have to keep up with cleaning it, too. That means every day replacing the gauze, cleaning it with antibiotic soap, letting it dry, and then covering it again. It will scar, by the way. Give me a second while I gather everything I'll need."

"Yes, ma'am," Kakashi acknowledged with a two finger salute.

Kakashi watched Sakura pull an about face, side-stepping Akamaru and grabbing a small metal cart to wheel with her. She moved to the counter, pressing her hips flush against the wood, standing high on her tip toes, and leaning her torso forward some to reach the cabinets above. In doing this, it gave Kakashi a clear, full view of her thick, toned, bubbly heart-shaped ass. He felt his jaw twitch on sight, and he had to shake away the flood of inappropriate thoughts. Kakashi loved the female body, every inch of it; but, if there was a part of the body that he'd consider his favorite, it would be ass for sure.

Kakashi was an ass man, that's just how it went.

Sakura pulled items out of the cabinet, placing them on the metal cart and moving over to next set of cabinets in search of something. "How did that happen, by the way?" She sought casually, though not looking in his direction.

"Mmmhh," Kakashi hummed. "Kiba and I are bouncers, some rouge asshole got in and got froggy with us. We went to take him down, he pulled out a knife and nicked me right before Kiba here could tackle him down."

Sakura, hands full of medical items, paced towards the cart to set them down; organizing them on the cart as she did. "That's more than just a nick if you ask me."

Kakashi rolled his neck around, leaning back on his hands, shoulders pushed back and chest out. "It comes with the territory."

"Does the club you bounce for pay for your medical costs?" When she diverted her attention from the cart to Kakashi, her body tensed up again as if he had been giving her the bird. A few beats passed between them before she grabbed the cart and started wheeling it towards him.

"Oh, yyeeaahh," he lied happily, watching the way she immediately shut down whatever emotion she was experiencing. "It happens so often, that a hospital visit is warranted once a week, at least."

"At least," Kiba mimicked in agreement.

"Mmh," She grunted, threading her fingers into nylon gloves with a snap. "Sounds like being a bouncer is dangerous."

"What's life without a little danger?" Kakashi challenged with a lopsided smile.

Sakura paused again, speculating him carefully. Kakashi couldn't tell if she was eyeing him or the wound, regardless of which he met her gaze evenly with a cool stare of his own. He watched her pupils dilate slightly, dazzling green eyes swimming and nearly drowning him. The pregnant stretch in time was broken with Kiba's obnoxiously loud, deliberate cough. Sakura shook her head, blinking rapidly and going to work immediately. She soaked a cotton ball with alcohol, closing the distance between them and pressing the icy cold material on his skin.

Goosebumps broke out over his skin wherever she dabbed, the contrast from the frigid liquid and his hot flesh giving him a little shock. She started small, dabbing around the wound to clean up the blood first. Every glob of blood she swept up, each new alcohol soaked cotton ball moving lower down his torso, leaving chills in its wake. Even if it wasn't the ideal way Kakashi wanted to be touched by a woman, the deliberate way she took care to make sure the blood was cleaned made his nerve endings jump with each swipe. He was lying if he didn't say the intimacy of the whole situation was a turn on, especially how Sakura did it. HImari had always been so rough and abrasive, Sakura's soft ministrations were welcomed happily. He thought it ironic that the same woman he had been ogling over like man who'd just witnessed the beauty of a woman for the first time, is now the same woman tending to his wound. Bonus, he was at this hospital all the time, so it gave him a reason to come and see her knowing now this is where she works.

The last spot of dried blood sat right above the waistband of his jeans, over where the lower V of his muscles met. Grabbing a new cotton ball, Sakura started to slide down to the lower half of his stomach when Kakashi caught her wrist in a flash. Sakura gasped softly, eyes shooting up with question.

"You don't have to do that," Kakashi explained in an even tone, looking down into her bright eyes.

"I have to clean the site," she clarified with a sharp exhale of breath. "It's my job."Her tone had become edged with steel, as if she took offense to what he had said.

She flexed, and Kakashi let go; Sakura pulling her wrist out of his grasp and back down to the last spot of blood. She leisurely drug the wool across, the pressure of the gesture causing some of the alcohol to leak out in small drops, absorbing into his pants. The coolness so low on such a sensitive part of his body made him want to shiver, but he bit it back instead, flicking his eyes over to Kiba who was deftly shaking his head. Kakashi knew how this must look like from where Kiba stood, however it only served to fuel Kakashi's imagination. He was thankful that he was the master of control, otherwise his body would have already done the thinking for him.

Once all the blood was cleaned from his torso, she began to clean the edges of the wound, whispering a small "I'm sorry" when he flinched.

"Don't be sorry," he chuckled. "You're just doing your job. You're much more gentle than Himari ever was. She just pours the whole bottle of alcohol on it and tells me to get over it."

To Kakashi's satisfaction, Sakura relaxed some, giggling and flashing a brilliant smile that in turn made his smile grow even wider. "She is sassy, isn't she?" she mused, cleaning the lower half of the gash.

"Huh, sassy is an understatement," Kiba scoffed. "There was one time I was here because my head got knocked pretty hard, and when I told her what happened, she slapped me upside the same side of my head that was bleeding! She said that I was lucky she was nice enough to help me, otherwise she'd let me bleed out just enough to where I was," he held up his fingers as air quotes, "'stupid forever, and not just in a moment.'"

Kakashi lolled his head in Kiba's direction, trying to ignore the burning stinging sensation below his chin, "To be fair, you did make a comment to her about how she needed a real man to make her smile and you were the guy for the job."

Sakura tossed her head back and laughed, looking over her shoulder at a gawking, red in the face Kiba. Kakashi decided he really liked the way her laugh sounds, it reminded him of wind chimes his dad used to hang outside of their house. The soft hum of the chimes was familiar, soothing, and comforting; as was her laughter. Watching her eyes light up, the way her cheeks lifted when she smiled all the way in that moment: it sent tingles down his spine.

Fuck. He barely knew this woman, yet he had it bad.

"I-I didn't say that!" Kiba stuttered, incredulous. "I had lost a lot of blood! I got a concussion! There's no way I would of said that to her."

"On the contrary," Sakura rebutted playfully, eyes focused on threading the needle. "When you lose a lot of blood, especially in your head, you tend to do and say things you won't remember later. Especially if you had a concussion, then you definitely did say that. The effect is kind of like when someone's drunk, you're only saying what's been on your mind."

Kakashi chuckled, "Kiba, you bad, bad boy. I didn't know you had it in for Himari. No wonder you always wanted to see her and no one else."

"Wait—" Kiba huffed.

"I didn't see a ring on her finger," Sakura teased.

"No, I don't—"

"She's a whole lotta woman, Keebs. I hope you can keep up," Kakashi egged on.

"I hope you're fast enough, from what I've learned she does everything pretty quick," Sakura added with a sly grin.

"Oh, Kiba's pretty fast," Kakashi interjected, meeting Sakura's eyes and giving her a saucy wink and he could of sworn he saw her blush again.

"It's not like that," Kiba growled, glaring at Kakashi and Sakura. "I don't think I like the two of you together. You're ganging up on me."

"Kiba," Sakura sing-songed. "Don't be so upset. Just call Himari next time, I'm sure she can protect you."

Kakashi let out a loud laugh of his own, his chest shaking when he did, causing him to flinch in response to the sharp jab of pain. Noticing this, Sakura straightened, becoming serious again. "Enough games, let's get this taken care of. I'm already running behind because of you two."

"Kakashi, I'm going to take Akamaru outside. I'm afraid if I stay in here any longer, you two will keep giving me more shit. I'll be waiting at the front of the hospital," he walked to the door, resting his hand on the door knob and turning to look at Sakura with a tight smile on his face, "It was nice meeting you, Sakura. Even if you are somewhat of an ass."

Without missing a beat, Sakura replied, "Bite me."  
Kiba scoffed, but otherwise left the room, the sound of the door clicking shut ringing in the silence of the room.

Sakura pulled up a small rolling chair, pulling it up and sitting down on it. She brought the needle up eye level, "Now, I need you to stay as still as possible. This will hurt some, so I recommend taking slow, steady breaths in and out. Not too heavy since it is your chest we are working on."

"Understood," Kakashi replied calmly, moving from his laid back position to sit upright.

Placing one hand over the top of the wound, Kakashi felt her squeeze the ends of the gash close, and the thin pierce of the needle. He bit the inside of his cheek as she worked, choosing instead of focus on the expression etched onto her face. Pink brows were knit together in the middle, eyes centered on the task at hand, and jaw set. There was no hesitation or fear in her form, her movements were fluid as if she was working using muscle memory. At one point, she had to tug the needle and thread through the skin a little hard, causing Kakashi to grunt. "I'm sorry, it snagged." She explained, briefly looking up and biting down on her lip as she did.  
_God-fucking-dammit._  
How could someone look outrageously sexy simply biting their lip.

Kakashi was in big trouble if he didn't divert his attention soon.

He swallowed, rolling his wrists around as if it was doing to disperse the irritating pain elsewhere. "So, how long did it take you to clean everything up?"

"Hmm?" She hummed in question, her brow furrowing deeper.

"Well, if I remember correctly, you were sitting on your knees, surrounded in a very impressive collection of panties."

Sakura froze in the middle of pulling the thread, elbow lifted in the air. She let go of her lower lip she had been biting on, which left it looking darker pink and a little swollen. The pure, primal man in him wanted to grab her face and suck on that lower lip. He wanted to be the reason it looked softly swollen. The rational man in him said he'd be guaranteed a black eye.

"What did you say?" Sakura muttered in a low voice, pulling the thread through. She was over halfway done now, and though the pain was wildly irritating, he didn't want this closeness to end. She was so close to him now that he could feel the puffs of her hot breath on his torso, furthering to increase the heat of his skin. He could smell her, too. The smell of roses and honey came off of her in sultry waves, along with a mint smell that he assumed must be chapstick. The smell was so subtly sweet and soft, it made him want to bury his nose in a fistful of her hair and breath in deeply. He only imagined she probably smelled this good everywhere else.

"You're apartment 888, right?" He continued indolently.

"…yes, I am…" she answered hesitantly.

"I'm your neighbor, I'm two doors down." Kakashi articulated, eyeing her face for any change in expression.

"But, you said…were you the man offering to help me?" She squeaked the last part, blood rushing to her cheeks.  
He'd have to embarrass her more often if she always looked this cute.

Kakashi nodded, "Mmhmm, I am. Did you know, that you are surprisingly strong? My hand was stinging for the rest of the day."

Sakura threw hear head back and sighed, "Ugh. Yeah, I'm sorry. I was just so…"

"Embarrassed? I noticed. What happened anyways? Were you just like fuck these panties and tossed them all over the place?"

Sakura tittered, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "No, not particularly. My parents shipped a bunch of my stuff since I couldn't take it with me on the plane. Well, imagine my surprise when I came back from the grocery store to fifteen boxes of shit. I was taking it all in my apartment and my dog was following me, except he kept getting in the way and essentially caused me to trip and fall backwards; sending the panties flying everywhere. My head slammed onto the concrete and my dumb ass dog just ran back into the apartment."

"Woof, sounds rough," he emphasized with a grin.

Sakura shrugged, sinking the needle into his skin again.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're not from here?" Kakashi pressed, trying to milk her for any information she would give. He wanted to see how open she was. Did she just blab? Did she need some finessing?

"That's some mighty fine deducing skills you've got there, Inspector Gadget," Sakura teased, flashing him another splendid smile.

Kakashi tipped an imaginary hat, "I am the best at what I do."

"I'm sure you are. And yes, I'm not from here, if that wasn't already screamingly obvious. I'm from America."

"Where from America?"

"Long Island," she quipped, tying a knot at the end of the wound and grabbing a small set of scissors to cut the thread.

Kakashi's eyes lifted, "Hmm, New York? The Big Apple... So you essentially moved from one big city to another?"

Sakura cleaned up the wound once more, twisting to grab the gauze. "If that's how you want to see it, sure." She placed an end of the gauze over the very top of the gash, tearing off a strip of medical tape she had precut earlier to secure the scrap of fabric. There was space between them now, the silence in the room almost deafening if it hadn't been for the soft sound of their breaths huffing in and out.

She was from America. Not just America, but New York of all places. Most people love New York so much that the thought of leaving was almost painful. He knew, because when he met people from New York, all they talked about was New York. He knew Tokyo had just as many opportunities as New York did, but he wondered why a pretty woman such as herself would move where she would have just as much success.

"Why did you move to Tokyo?" he pressed, watching her roll back on the chair some.

Her eyebrow quirked, "That's a little personal, don't you think?"

Kakashi gave a languid shrug, "It's a simple question."

"Mmhh, I'd rather not answer," he saw her eyes harden, a defiant glint in them. Whatever her internal dialogue was, he knew she wasn't going to budge no matter how hard he pressed. Sakura stood up, tossing the needle into the biohazard bin and peeling off the gloves into the trash. Kakashi reached behind him, grabbing his long sleeved shirt to pull it back on, careful to avoid the freshly sutured wound on his chest. Watching her move around and put everything away, Kakashi only felt more pulled in by her. She had an appeal that he couldn't shake, she was walking kryptonite that weakened his resolve he worked so hard to build when it came to getting involved with a woman. He hated how drawn to her he felt, it was a primal magnetism that he couldn't deny. Logic would say that he can't judge the character of a woman he hardly knew, but somewhere deep in the recesses of his chest he felt like he's known her for years.

Christ, it was too tacky for him to handle.

Kakashi wasn't much of a sentimental man, everything was pretty caviler to him. Especially women. He respected them, naturally, but the time he spent with them was always purely brief. Not only did he find it kind of boring that they were wooed pretty easily(he was a man who appreciated a good challenge), but he never wanted an attachment because with that came risk. He would be responsible for someone else's life if something happened, and not that he couldn't handle the responsibility, but rather he didn't want to be the reason something horrible happens to someone. Yes, he'd been around the block—he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy sex—but it also helped with the temporary loneliness he sometimes felt. The brief moments of intimacy, even if it was fake, was just enough to hold him over. As much as he told himself it wasn't the case, Kakashi craved intimacy from a partner just as much as the next person. The majority of his life he kept women at a safe distance. He made sure it was understood that it was purely physical, and nothing else. He had a reputation with being a "ladies man" so to speak, and none of the guys at the club took any woman he brought around seriously because of that. They were there one night, gone the next. He always made sure it was consentual, that the woman agreed to the same terms so emotions weren't involved or hurt. He remembers Naruto telling him he just hasn't found the right woman yet, and maybe that was the case.  
Because, looking at Sakura now, the thought of the risk seemed worth it.

Sakura hummed lightly as she put everything away, stopping at the counter to grab a clipboard and a pen. "Alright, just one more thing and then you're good to go. Your name?"

"Hatake Kakashi."

Sakura scribbled down on the clipboard, "How old are you?"

"I'm thirty."

"Dirty thirty, nice," she smirked, scribbling down some more. "You are obviously male…Sutured wound…cleaned…after care…Alright, Kakashi. Remember what I said about being careful with it, cleaning it, letting it dry, and putting new gauze on it. Here," she strode over to place a box of gauze in his hand, "this should last you just a little bit. If you need more, go to the super market. If you have any issues, if it opens up, feels like it's hurting more or looks infected—come back here and we will take a look at it. Understood?"

"Mmmhh," Kakashi grinned, standing up, his height towering compared to Sakura's. The two stared at each other for several beats, Kakashi the first to break the silence. "Go out with me."

Sakura's eyebrows shot up, "I'm sorry?"

Kakashi stuffed a hand in his pocket, squaring his shoulders and lifting his chin, "Go on a date with me."

Sakura stepped back, her expression almost stressed, "I don't know anything about you…"

Kakashi tilted his head, "I think that's the point of a date, is to get to know each other."

She took two more steps back, furthering the space between them. Sakura bit down on her lip, a play of emotions flinting in her eyes. "I…I can't, Kakashi. I'm just…" she opened her mouth to speak, and Kakashi had hoped she'd give him something, anything about herself, reasoning, anything. Instead, she shut her mouth, shook her head, and moved all the way back to the counter. What was once surprise written across her face quickly switched to indignation, eyes glaring daggers at him if they could. "No, I just can't." Her tone incensed and hard.

Kakashi cracked a affable grin, "Suit yourself. Have a great day, Sakura. It was a pleasure to meet you." He turned and exited the room, mulling to himself with a determined grin as he navigated his way out of the hospital.

He wasn't put off by her response.  
If anything, it only fueled his desire to get to know her more intimately. She obviously wasn't a woman that let anyone in easily, and that intrigued him. Who was she behind the professional mask?

She was a beautiful challenge that he was more than eager to take on.


	6. Going Out

Sakura spent the later half of her shift in a daze. She spent about an hour inputting patient chart information, leaving her with enough time still for Himari to show her around the hospital. Sakura would like to say that she paid attention to what Himari showed her, but her head wasn't in the game.

All she could think about was Kakashi.

There was something about the heated, heavy-lidded gaze he gave her that made her falter. When he flashed a lopsided smile, pearly twin rows of teeth dazzling and feline, she found herself feeling stirs of emotion she hadn't felt in a long time. She had seen the way his eyes combed over her body leisurely, taking his time in by inch. It made her face flush and skin hot, a small ache thrumming in her most private of places. She had seen the way his body looked, ivory skin wrapped firm over the sinewy muscle of his chest, abs, and arms. She had also seen scars, more than she could even keep count. Small ones in odd places, nicks over his shoulder, and even on his neck. He had the body of a hardened Spartan warrior, exhuming the confidence and ease of one, too. Sakura had been slighty shell shocked from the mastery of it, especially when he was perched back on his hands, broad chest exposed in a fiery offering. The sound of his voice, bearish, smoky, and slightly rough; sent chills fingering their way from the top of her scalp to the tips of her toes. Being in such a small proximity of him made it hard for her to focus. Sure, she was paying attention to what she was doing, but it shouted just as loudly from the back of her mind.

Sakura noticed the sudden rise of goosebumps on his skin when she had touched him, but she initially chalked it up to being the body's natural response to any more-than-average-stimuli. However when she was cleaning the blood off of his body, she witnessed it happening again and secretly delighted in the fact that it could have been because of her. The feel of his strong hand grabbing her wrist, she wasn't scared or surprised; rather, the touch of large calloused hands wrapping securely around her small wrist sent a familiar spark to the center of her being. He practically dripped a careless masculine aura that she'd never encountered before.

And then, to find out that _he_ was the man that had offered her help with the panty explosion.  
And then, to find out that this dangerously handsome man was asking her out on a date.

Sakura could practically feel the fissure of thought sever in her brain.

The new Sakura was supposed to live life vivaciously, doing what she wants when she wants with nothing holding her back. The new Sakura is supposed to experience life's treasures, one sloppy wet kiss at a time. Instead, she felt meek around him, blushing at every onyx gaze that bore into her soul. He looked at her with a familiar glint in his eye as if he'd known her for years. The humor there, his eyes appeared as though they smiled the same sly smile he bore during the whole exchange. It was almost as if he'd figured out the answer to life, and let go to any worry in the world. It unsettled her, they way his guileful eyes pierced her. The studious staring made her feel insecure for a moment, thinking to herself he might not like what he sees and, for some erratic reason unknown to her, she really wanted him to. She wondered if she stirred the same reaction out of him, if he was fighting back filthy thoughts, too.

Then, she would go back to telling herself she was strong, she wasn't going to orient herself around a man.

She'd flip flop, one extreme thought to the other. Finally, she settled for the latter: she is strong, and she wasn't ready for a date.

One night stands are one thing, they were detached and one night only exclusive; whereas dates meant the process it takes to get to know a person, and she wasn't feeling up to letting someone back in. The last time she did it, everything about her was only used as a weapon to be propositioned to her. Exploited her, judged her, and mocked her. Sakura made the bitter swear that she'd never let just any man in like that again. No matter how hot he was, and he was _hot_, she wasn't going to risk her heart again. She wanted to protect herself, and she wanted a man to actually _prove_ himself. Sasuke was all talk, he was never a man of action. He'd make empty promises, but nothing ever came from it. Like an idiot she had bought into it every time, making an excuse for his shitty behavior. Sakura knew better now. She was going to focus on herself and her career, doing her best to excel as far as she can possibly go. Whatever happened, she wanted to happen naturally, not out of force or obligation.  
Plus, if he really wanted to see her, he wouldn't stop at just one no.

Two months have come and gone since Sakura moved to Tokyo, and she finally had a grasp on the flow of things. Her shift hours were the same, much to her surprise as hospital hours were never consistent; they'd change from one day to the next. About a week into her starting at the hospital, she had started actively travelling to tend to patients in the comfort of their own homes, and she absolutely loved it. Between her constant walking to and from work, to using subways and taxis to someone's home: she was granted a wider view of Tokyo and its' streets. She knew short cuts to work now, she was officially familiarized with the food market and all of its' visitors. There was a dog park she often walked Rocky Balboa to, and even a running trail that she'd take advantage of early in the mornings if she managed to wake up on time. She was loving the sway of her life, satisfied with the season she was currently in.

In those two months, she also met another nurse who worked part time at the hospital named Ino.

Ino was a ravishing beauty, with long, thick blonde hair that Sakura figured was the muse for turn-of-the-century poets to rave about. Big blue eyes, big breasts, and big hips; Ino was a woman Sasuke would of hunted relentlessly for. Sakura and Ino had become friends, from chats at the hospital to Ino eventually coming over for wine, soap operas, and snacks. Sakura has learned that Ino is very confrontational, upfront, and outspoken. She said what was on her mind regardless of what the other person felt, and Sakura had to admire her candor. To even Sakura's surprise, she had divulged in Ino her past with Sasuke, which in turn riled an anger in Ino that Sakura felt she should have been feeling. Sakura didn't know why she trusted Ino so much in such a short amount of time, but she did. She felt an immediate click with Ino, as if they had been friends in a past life. Even with their hang outs becoming increasingly frequent, Ino recently had been consistently asking Sakura to go out to a club with her and some friends. Sakura kept agreeing that she would go out and party with them, but when the night came around, she was wandering another street somewhere deep in Tokyo, soaking her new home in.

In those two months, Sakura has seen Kakashi at least three times a week. Just after he had asked her out, it was in the mornings when she leaves for work, she'd catch him walking down his end of the hall. In the evenings, she'd seen an elevator closing on his face. Every time, he would be gleaming with a iniquitous smirk. Initially, she really tried to avoid him, but after some time he made that almost impossible. He'd started to purposely follow her out in the mornings, however he actually never talked. He'd yawn, stretch, rub his eyes some; run a big hand through the muss of his hair. The silence between them was communication enough. When they'd reach the front double doors, right before they part ways, he'd croak in a husky, scratchy sleep-induced voice, "You look beautiful today," his eyes wily and brooding. It had taken her aback the first couple of times, and almost suspicious. What was he wanting, anyways? Despite her suspicions, he never pushed for anything past that. It was a smile gesture that caused her to bite down on her lip every time. When they didn't catch each other in the mornings, she'd seem him in the evenings here and there; each and every time he'd hunt her down with a casual stroll, just to ask her how she was doing or how her day was. Sakura never really let out much, at first. A "good" here or an "I'm fine," there. After his patient persistence, she started adding some small details, be it about a stinky patient or something dumb her dog did.

After that happened, even if the time they'd seen each other was spread apart, the conversations were longer, by just a little. Lingering, only slightly. His remarks had grown increasingly flirtatious, to a point that, she'd still blush at times, but otherwise she was able to jab back with a witty retort. Since his visit at the hospital, he hasn't tried to ask her out again, rather he's been haughty as if she never shut him down. It still didn't stop him from calling her pretty in the mornings, or laughing at something stupid that happened at her job. Once he had mentioned that he was meeting some of his friends at a bar and if she wasn't doing anything that night that he would love for her to come. "You seem like you'd be trouble a couple drinks in," he had told her. Sakura simply told him she wasn't comfortable doing that yet, to which he would simply smile and change the topic of conversation, unbothered, teasing even.

Sakura noticed that was something that had happened a lot, too.

She found he liked teasing her, trying to rile her up for a response. Sakura had decided she wasn't going to play the nice girl card, acting sweet and innocent in hopes of keeping the man around. If anything, any inhibitions she had about her temper or the ways she spoke flew out the window. Sakura would happily snap back at his teasing, telling him to eat her ass and the like. However abrasive she behaved, no matter how sassy she could get, it never seemed to deter him or wipe that listless, complacent grin he wore. She wondered if he was just purposely trying to break her down to get to her body—could a man be that determined for a quick fuck? Not that the thought bothered her, she hadn't been with a man in five months. Two months before Sakura and Sasuke split, they had stopped having sex. Well, more like they'd be together and then he'd leave her again for someone else. Sakura didn't know why she put up with it some much, looking back at it. She wishes that she could go back in time and punch herself in the fucking face to knock some sense into her. Not that she misses Sasuke, she misses the time she lost with him and the sense of self she lost along with it. Being alone never really bothered her, it was the intimacy she craved. She wanted to be touched and kissed and held. She felt like a conundrum. She was afraid of a relationship, bold enough for a one time fuck. Her hormones were fucking with her, causing her to constantly feel like she was on edge, which would explain her seemingly unending irritation.  
It didn't help that she had to talk to one of the most sexiest men she'd ever met.  
That goddamned lopsided smile did things to her body.  
His eyes were always a little sinful, furthering to weaken her resolve.

Yeah, Sakura took to masturbation. She had done it before, never stopped doing it, and never will. Rather than thinking of an old teacher or hot movie star, she'd find herself thinking of Kakashi when she runs her hand up her inner thigh, imagining it was him touching her. She'd grab handfuls of her own breasts, squeezing them together and apart, visualizing his long fingers curled over the taunt peaks. Once or twice, she would work up a really good scenario in which he was watching her touch herself, whispering filthy things in her ear, kissing down her neck, and nipping at her shoulder.  
She shuddered.  
She had it bad.

Sakura wondered to herself if he would agree to a one night stand; who knows, maybe it would ease up the mounting sexual tension between them that she had vehemently denied.

Then again, it seemed easier to hook up with a stranger she just met than him.

Sakura remembered what Ino had positioned just three days ago. They were at a small tea shop just a ways down the market, Ino going on about a recent hook up she had. "Are you talking to anybody?" Ino asked, swirling a stirring stick in her tea.

Sakura snorted, "I've only been here two months, Ino."

Ino, elbow on the table and her face in hand, plucked one shoulder, "So? You're fucking hot, I'm surprised you're not beating them off with a stick."

"Not even," Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes. She was being partially truthful, of course. There was the random patient that would ask if she was single and wanted to go get drinks, to which she would say kindly shoot them down. Some of them were even pretty cute, she had to admit. Fact of the matter was, she just wasn't interested in them. None of the appealed to her, none of them drew her attention.

Not like Kakashi did, anyways.

"Have you at least hooked up with anyone?" Ino pressed, hands up in the air in argument.

"Why does it matter, Ino?!" Sakura playfully shouted, patting her hand on the table to make a dull thud for emphasis.

Now Ino was the one rolling her eyes, "I'm going to take that as a no." She quirked her eyebrows, waiting for a rebuttal out of Sakura.

Sakura said nothing, simply fingering the sugar packets on the table.

"In fact, have you gone out at all since you've been in Tokyo?"

Sakura raised her chin, "Well, yeah, sure. I've been exploring the city, sight seeing, visiting shops and whatnot."

"Yeah, but that's not going _out out_, dude. Have you gone to a bar at all? Got drinks, met a guy, and just fucked?"

"I used to back home," Sakura muttered.

"Well? Why aren't you doing it here? No wonder you're all antsy, you haven't been laid!"

Fact of the matter, is Sakura knew why she was struggling in the hook ups department.

During her season with Sasuke, when she did go out and hook up, she did it purely to spite him. Sure, she had her fun and it felt good at times, but the sole intention was there. Now that she was on her own, she was behaving like an eighteen year old virgin again, being shy and reserved. Sakura remembers in those moments of random hook ups feeling wildly confident and sure of herself. She missed feeling like that, she was tired of feeling like she was undeserving of being touched by someone else.

"I don't know, I don't really have an answer for you, Ino."

"Wwweeelll," Ino sang, a sly smile stretching across her pretty face, "that changes HERE, sis! You're lucky, I'm going out to Shinjuku with some friends in a couple of days! We will be club hopping. You absolutely ARE coming with us, I don't give a fuck what you say. You need to come with us and have some super mega fun, you need to meet a guy and let up some. You're young and beautiful, you don't have any kids, you're not tied down, theres no reason for you to be a little hermit and hide yourself away from the rest of us. I haven't even known you very long and even I can tell you're wound up pretty tight."

Sakura worried her lip, thinking.

Ino was right.

She felt like a loser.

Sakura was in the prime of her life, successful, healing, happy, and free. What was she doing with it, besides work?  
She deserved to have fun, and why shouldn't she?

If she was really dedicated to living the rich and full life she said she was going to, it meant she had to break out of whatever mold she had put herself in and do it.

She also couldn't deny that a quick fuck could be just what the doctor ordered.

Sakura let go of her lip, "You know what, I'll go."

Ino huffed, pinching her eyes, "I'm not taking no for an answ—wait," her eyes snapped open. "You said you'll go?"

"Yeah, I'll go," Sakura repeated again, moreso to affirm to herself that she's going and not Ino.

Ino's face lit up, mouth gaping, hands splayed in excitement, "YYYEEEEEESSS!" She squealed. "I am so exciteeeeed! Okay okay okay, so here's the plan. We will meet at Eleven Twenty-Two at ten, and we'll go from there. Be sure to wear something super sexy," she winked.

Two days later, Sakura was standing in front of her closet, clicking her tongue while she searched for something to wear. It certainly wasn't quite warm in Tokyo, but it wasn't so cold that she needed to bundle up either. Sakura didn't want to come off slutty, however she thought she might end up looking prudish if she wasn't sort of done up. After filing through some of her clothes, Sakura decided she was going to wear kitten heels, black leggings with roses and vines embroidered up the entire sides of the legs. Short shorts that made her ass look good, and a black crop top with a lower than usual U-neck, but just enough left for their imagination to take the wheel. She donned a black velvet choker and small black earrings that were in the shape of a cat's head. Once she felt like her outfit was set, she went to the restroom, applying eyeliner for a classic cat eye, mascara that exaggerated the winging ends of her naturally long lashes, and red lipstick. She figured you could never go wrong with a good red lip.

Apart of her wanted to feel nervous about going out, but that wasn't the case. Instead Sakura felt like she chugged five cups of coffee; she was fidgeting, singing along with the song playing on her phone, and secretly hoping that they would go somewhere where they could dance.  
Sakura had always loved to dance. Every time she went to a club back home, even if the intention was to go hook up to spite Sasuke, she still always danced.  
It always seemed to make her feel happier.

The bar they were meeting at was just four sets of blocks down. Having time, Sakura figured she could walk there and then take the bus back home, since she still had some time to kill before they were supposed to meet. Stepping outside, the night sky above was completely black, no stars peaking out behind the dark rain clouds that threatened to pour down. Just down the street, Sakura crossed her fingers and hoped it didn't seeing as she lost her umbrella somewhere in the hospital and for the life of her can't find it. The closer she got to Eleven Twenty-Two, the more neon lights seemed to glow, and less of them food joints or businesses. The crowd down the street was thick with people, instinctually walking in two separate lanes—one up the street and one down. Music played from all different locations, her shoulders bobbing to each different tune she passed. Bouncers stood outside of clubs, hollering out specials that they were having for the night. Adults, college students, she even spotted some Americans mingled in; all in lines in front of clubs and chatting. People watching as she went, Sakura could see the eyes of some men hanging onto hers a little longer when she passed, waving and smiling to get her attention.  
She couldn't help the smug smile that quirked at the corner of her lips.  
Maybe she still had it.

Ino was the easiest to spot. Her hair was in a high pony, blond locks shaped into loose curls. She was wearing black high heels, fishnet stockings, a miniskirt that had rips along the curves of the hips, and a simple black halter top. On her hands she wore fishnet gloves with the fingers cut off. Her eye shadow was gold and glittery, making her blue eyes stand out brilliantly compared to her all black outfit. Eyeliner gave her a sharp, dramatic wing that could stab a man. To top it all off, her lips were just as glittery and glossy. "S-a-k-u-r-a!" Ino hollered, crossing her arms back and forth over her head.

"Ino!" Sakura yelled back, reaching her and some girls behind her. "You look so good!"

Ino gasped, "I look good? _You _look good, Sakura! I mean," Ino grabbed Sakura's shoulders, turning her around to land a hard smack on her behind, "just look at that ass!"

Sakura chortled, giving Ino a small shove, "Would you _stop?!"_

"I'll never stop," Ino winked. "Okay, girls?" Behind Ino, three equally beautiful women turned, speculating Sakura. "This is my new friend Sakura. Sakura, this is Aimiee, Justice, and Ibiki."

"Hey," Sakura waived, giving the friendliest smile she could manage.

"Heyo!" Ibiki, a petite woman with space buns and bright purple lips cheered, waving happily.

"Hey," the other two followed with equally excited smiles.

"Alright, are we ready to party?!" Ino delighted, blue eyes jerking between the four women."

"FUCK yes!" Ibiki shouted, fisting the air with a small leap. "Let's paarrrrttaaaaaaayyy!"

The four followed Ino's lead into the first bar. There was nothing special about the bar, really. It was sort of musty and dark, the tables looking pretty work down and dirty, but the big chalkboard on the wall with a comprehensive list of cheap shots they could buy answered Sakura's question as to why anyone came there. It was a starter joint, a place where the party-goers went to essentially pregame before really hitting the other places up. Ino strolled up to the bar, her zaftig breasts sitting themselves on the counter top. It was no surprise that, while other patrons were having a hard time getting the bartender's attention, it took Ino no time at all to prattle off an order to him. With a sweaty nod, the bartender zipped back and forth, expertly pouring up alcohol into the shot glasses, the end result a bright red liquid that Sakura wondered if it was safe to drink. Each woman grabbed a glass, stepping back from the bar to a table. Ino raised a glass, "Here's to a night out with the girls, new friends, and letting loose," She smiled tenderly at Sakura over the rim of her shot glass.

Raising her own glass to meet the others, "To letting loose," she buzzed, feeling her stomach leap in excitement. With a cheerful glee the women hollered, shooting back the burning liquid. Ibiki slammed the shot glass down, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and declaring, "Another!"  
So this was going to be the start of Sakura's night.

She was having so much fun.

The group of women were about five bars deep now, each place they went to the first thing they did is take the house shot, along with a drink. Of the five, two of them were clubs that they did only dance for a bit before wanting to hop along to the next place. When Sakura asked Ino why they weren't hanging around long, Ino laughed, "These are all just to warm up, silly. The real fun happens when we reach Samurai. That place is always _poppin_ and it's fun as fuck to be there!" Of course, Ino had been shouting this over the loud music of the club, her voluptuous body swaying to the beat. By this time, Sakura lost count of how many shots she's drank, but she was completely loosed. At every place they went, men approached her. Most of them shot the tacky shit that she had heard before, to which she would just roll her eyes and move away. Only a few held a conversation, as much as they could with the women not being at the bar too long. Each time she departed, they'd ask for her number. Still, she declined.  
What, she wasn't going to sleep with just _anyone._  
She wanted to make sure they clicked, and so far, none of them did.  
Well, used to anyways.

The copious amount of alcohol she was consuming was severely manipulating that notion.

Not that it bothered her, Sakura was having a lot of fun.

Of the three women she met, Sakura seemed to get along with Ibiki more. Her explosive, wild personality seemed to click with Sakura. The two kept hugging each other a lot throughout the night, telling each other how good they looked and how they should go bike riding in the morning. Ino, in her drunken state, blabbed to all of the women that Sakura was trying to get laid.

Ibiki wrinkled her cute little nose, "Oh, _hell yeah._ I'll have you know that I am the BEST wingman around, okay? Don't worry, I will be like a metal detector of cocks. I'll find the right one for you," she held out her hands in the shape of finger guns, squeezing imaginary triggers simultaneously. "I guarantee it."

"Aaallrriigghhtt," Sakura sang, shaking her head. "I'm going to entrust in you that you won't set me up with a scrub."

"Okay, okay okay okay okay." Ibiki widened her stance, rocking back and forth on her feet with hands spread out in front of her. "Tell me tell me, what's your type?"

Sakura took a hard sip of her drink, "Hmmm…handsome?"

"Duh," Ino scoffed.

"Okay okay, I dunno…Tall?"

"Tall," Ibiki muttered, pretending to write a list. "Check. Anything else?"

"I like dark eyes," Sakura thought, the figure of someone forming in her head that she was struggling to remember at the moment.

"Dark eeyyyeess…body type?" Ibiki quipped.

"Muscular," Sakura retorted instantly, thinking back to that same mysterious form eluding her.

"Hair?"

"Messy and silver—er…" She stopped, furrowing her brow and huffing. What was his name? Shirmashi? Kakuno?  
Fuck, she was drunk.

Ino was the one who spoke up this time, "You said silver? Why silver?"

"No reason," Sakura replied a little too quickly.

The women stared at her. It didn't take Ino long to figure it out. She was a shark that smelled blood and was going in for the kill. Knowing this, Sakura usually put up a fight, her lips a steel trap. The problem was is that she's so drunk she didn't care. All inhibitions were shed. She just wanted to dance.

"Sakura, is there someone that you have in mind?" Ino preened in the reflection of the glossy table top, swallowing the rest of her drink with a loud "aahh" at the end of it.

"No, why would I have anyone in mind?" Sakura questioned back, trying to deflect the direction of the conversation.

Ino shrugged, "It's nothing…Anyways, what feature do you like in men? Do you like…scars?"

Sakura's eyes, that were focused on her drink, turned up to meet the artful sparkle in Ino's.

_Did she know who…Turbasi…Kakaka…Kokimi...I know his name…what the fuck is his name…_

Across Sakura, Ino deftly mouthed the name in slow, deliberate enunciations.

"K—A—K—A—S—I."

_Kakashi…Hatake…_

How could she possibly forget?

The watery shadow that had been shimmering in the back of her mind came clear and into full view.

It was giving her that famous sideways smile.

Though Sakura wanted to be upset that Ino had essentially called her out, she wasn't. Instead, she just met Ino's gaze with as much of her own as she could muster without getting sidetracked.

Ibiki turned her head between the women, "Uh, what's going on? Are we still talking about getting Sakrua-chan laid?"

"What's going on…" Ino started, grabbing Ibiki's wrist. "Is that we are going to Samurai, right now. Grab the other two and lets fucking party." Sakura was silently thankful Ino changed the subject.

Ibiki cheered, squatting down low in a quick twerk before shooting back up to go find the other two. While waiting for the other girls, Ino ordered two more shots, handing one over to Sakura. "You should really give him a chance," Ino leaned in and giggled.

"How did you…?" Sakura trailed off, the thoughts too muddled for her to connect the dots on her own.

Ino plucked her shoulders, "I work part time with him. At least hang out with him, get to know him. He's a great guy."

"Where?" Sakura semi-shouted, the music nearly drowning out her words.

Ibiki trotted back, the other two women right behind her. The arrival of the girls distracted Ino, as she pushed Sakura's glass towards her mouth and tilted back her own before making weaving her way through the crowd, out of the bar. Samurai was on the very corner of the street, the line veering past the front of the building and around. Ino, unfettered by this, sauntered right up to the front door where two bouncers stood. At the sight of Ino, the man standing to the right let out an audible groan and rolled his eyes so hard Sakura thought he must of seen his frontal lobe. He had black hair that was pulled back into a short, spiky pony tail. He was slim, but you could see the muscle under his mesh t-shirt. "What are _you_ doing here? Don't I see enough of you as it is?"

"Shut your ass," Ino bit, slapping the man across his shoulder.

The man on the left laughed something Sakura didn't hear. He was a bear of a man, brutish in stature and size. Though he had a bit of a gut, he reminded Sakura of the prowrestlers she'd see on TV. He had hands so meaty and big she didn't doubt he could tear a man in half. He had coppery, reddish-orange hair that was swept back with a headband and fell down in layers to his lower back. The closer she stepped, she could see slight red swirls on the balls of his cheeks.

"I guess you're not here for business?" The pony-tail man sighed, eyes set and unimpressed with her presence unlike most men.

"Nope!" Ino happily chirped, her tone surprisingly clear for how much alcohol she consumed. "Purely pleasure. Have you met my new friend?" Ino swiveled her body, gesturing both hands at Sakura. "This is Sakura. Sakura, this is Shikamaru. Choji," She pointed at the bear-man. "This is Sakura. Sakura, Choji."

"Hello, Shikamaru and Choji," Sakura waggled her fingers, squinting to see them better in the dark as the front of the club wasn't that lit up.

Shikamaru's eyes flexed momentarily, over to Ino who was beaming up at him. "Sakura…as in…"

"Mmhhmm," Ino hummed plainly, though her tone let on to something else that Sakura didn't have the mindset to keep up with. "She's exactly who you think she is…My new coworker."

Shikamaru nodded knowingly, smirking at Sakura, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Sakura replied, though she was bored.  
She just wanted to go inside and dance.  
She'd been wanting to dance all night.

Sensing Sakura's impatience, Ino pat Shikamaru's arm, "Alright. We're heading in."

"You kids have fun," he drawled begrudgingly.

Choji held the door open while the women marched in. Inside, Sakura couldn't help but be riveted by the appearance of the club. It was the poster child of Tokyo nightlife, the type of clubs you see in hip magazines. Neon lights lined edges of the building, with small personal lights that sat in the middle of dark leather tables and booths. The club was dark and light, the whole building practically throbbing with music.  
And it was _packed._

There was hardly any room for each of the women to walk through without squeezing against someone. All types of beautiful women were speckled all over the place, along with a man or two that Sakura did a double take on. People were dancing, a hive mind of bodies moving in motion as one. Sakura was impressed, she'd never been in a place so…_badass._ The traditional Japanese style art mixed with modern art added to the whole vibe of the building, making it all the more satisfying with each detail she took in and paid attention to.

As much as she could, anyways.

At some point, Sakura had stopped remembering what happened earlier that night. Her focus was in the exact moment, saying what she wanted to say, laughing when she wanted to laugh, and most of all: ready to dance however she wanted to dance. Once at the bar, she could hear Ino asking the women what type of shot they wanted. Sakura paid them no mind. She stared out onto the middle of the club, eyes peering into the dancing crowd. She wanted so bad to blend in and move.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Sakura turned to Ibiki holding out yet another shot glass.

"What should we cheer to? We've been cheering all night, I'm out of ideas," Justice affronted, her purple lipstick starting to fade in the inner corners of her mouth.

"I know! Let's cheer to Sakura trying to get laid!" Ibiki exclaimed clamorously.

"To me getting laid!" Sakura hollered back, however by the trend of off putting men she's met all night, she doubted it was going to actually happen. As nice as the thought would be, she was much more focused on having fun with new friends. The girls sucked back the shots, and Sakura felt the fiery liquid make its way down her throat, the heat from it expanding in her chest. She squeezed her eyes and shuddered at the bitterness of it, sucking on the lime that sat on the rim of the shot.  
Whatever Ino had chosen this time, it tasted like shit.

"What was that?" Sakura questioned, pulling Ino's attention from a guy who had been smiling at her.

"Huh?!" She shouted back, tearing her gaze away from the man. "Oh! Tequila! It's Tequila!"

Somewhere Sakura had a distinct memory of her and tequila not being a good combination, but quickly brushed it away when Ino yelled, "Let's dance!" She grabbed Sakura's wrist, dragging her into the middle of the crowd until they found an empty spot.

Being in the middle of the dance floor, maybe it was the way the building was built so the acoustics sounded better (or some shit like that), but the thrum of the music seemed to pulse throughout her entire body. It started as bassy vibration in her feet, pulsing its way up her legs, hips, torso, and arms. It encased her entire frame, surrounded her, and threatened to consume her. She closed her eyes, letting the beat guide her, filling all of her senses.

Letting out a low hum, Sakura slowly began to dance. The world began to fade away from her as she got swept up into the music.


	7. Eye Out

**Hey there, kitties. I just wanted to say I really appreciate your reviews, favorites, and views! It's amazing to hear that the story is being so liked, and it only encourages me to continue to write more! That being said, from here on out almost each and every chapter will have some form of smut/adult scenarios. We haven't reached a full lemon, yet (good things come to those that wait!). Again, if you're not 18+ I need you to high tail it out of here, and if you don't, the Chupacabra will hunt you down and eat your toes. As always, reviews will keep the Egyptian god that is trapped in my bearded dragon's body contained for another 1000 years, instead of breaking free from its physical chains and consuming my mortal soul. Happy reading, y'all!**

Samurai was brimming with a multitude of dancing, drinking inhabitants. Music from the surround sound speakers pulsed rhythmically, heads bobbing to the beat. The building practically vibrated from the mixture of people and loud music, which would have made it hard for Kakashi to do his job if he wasn't already used to it. Tonight, everyone in the team was on the same job: bag the rat bastard Sota. He was the ring leader of the sex trafficking division working under the Yakuza, and they have been trying to catch him for the past four months since they finally put a face with a name. Sota was in charge of a team that would kidnap women, drug them, and either sell them out as sex slaves to other crime lords; or they'd make them personal sex slaves to bigger bosses within the Yakuza themselves. It was sickening, considering each woman they did rescue was drugged out of her mind by some fucked up cocktail they came up with to keep the women subdued. Every time they'd get remotely close, the slimy blighter would manage to escape, leaving the team frustrated and empty handed. Luckily, they weren't without ammunition. Months and months of investigating, and a fistful of motivation, has lead to them having all the information they needed on Sota to capture him. They even knew where his hideout was, however it was so heavily guarded with Yakuza pawns that they knew better than to attack head on or even try to sneak in. Team Samurai knew they had to catch him outside the bounds of his protection, which was going to be the simplest shot.

The last job Choji and Shikamaru were on, they managed to squeeze a Yakuza grunt for information about how Sota works and where he targets his victims. Like the sick son of a bitch he is, he doesn't typically send other men out to scout women for him; rather, he gets a thrill out of finding them and capturing them himself. "Hunting," is what the grunt said Sota calls it. Furthermore, Sota targets bars and clubs. He dresses the part and blends in with the crowd; once he spots a woman who is well inebriated, he'll slide right in to smooth talk them into coming home with him. Majority of the time, he never takes women by force. Almost all of them agree eagerly, as Sota happened to be considered a handsome man, even if his face was pinched and bird-like with short black hair swept over the top. Once the grunt let out that Sota was planning to hit up club Samurai, the team knew immediately what they had to do. So, every single person was posted up in the club today as bouncers and bartenders, though each eye was attentive in searching the crowd. To make sure he absolutely showed up, Tsunade made sure to put it out there that women got in free tonight, as well as dollar drinks for women.

There was no way Sota was going to pass this up.

The plan was simple, really.

Choji and Shika kept at the doors, once they spotted the man walking in they'd notify the rest of the team on their ear pieces. Each teammate would notify the others of his whereabouts, keeping honed in on Sota while he searched for a target. Once he's seen talking to a woman, it was Ino's job to drunkenly "bump" into him as to get his attention. Being the curvaceous woman she was, they doubted he would try to turn away from her, especially if she acted super drunk. Which, in truth Ino had an iron stomach and an alcohol tolerance of a well-worn sailor. She'd out drink everyone, even Tsunade, and still not be drunk. She called it a curse, but the team found it to be useful when she'd drink with a target to get information out of them.

Once Ino had Sota in her grasps, the plan was to lead him out of the back alley as a promise for a quickie because it's rumored that Sota sleeps with each of his victims first before selling them out. As soon as Ino would whisper the words, "It's just you and me, big boy," to Sota, Rock Lee, Naruto, and Kakashi were to take off to the alley, waiting in the shadows until she had him pinned against the wall where they would launch their attack. Kiba, Neji, Tenten, and Shino would take turns making rounds not only inside the club but outside, too; looking for any of his grunts that might be waiting for a command.

The plan was simple, predictable, and easy to follow.

What Kakashi hadn't counted on, however, was the sight of a particular pink haired woman showing up.

He found out first when Shikamaru very haughtily remarked in the earpiece that, "Your girlfriend is here, lover boy. You might want to keep an eye out on her; she's looking pretty fine and also kind of drunk."

Typically, none of the team took any woman Kakashi had around seriously because they were all temporary; one night was all it took. But what did it in for them, was when Kakashi had first talked about her. Well, more like Kiba was whining about how Kakashi and Sakura had been talking shit to him the whole time at the hospital.

"She actually said, _to my face_, that I was annoying her! All I was doing was asking her why she was washing her hands again— it's a simple question!" Kiba exclaimed, hands in the air.

"Kiba, everyone tells you to your face that you're annoying them. You're almost as annoying as Naruto when he's downed an energy drink, or when he's about to eat ramen, or when...well, whenever really," Neji drawled, his head tilt back on the couch and eyes closed.

Kiba scowled, "Not even, jackass."

"What's wrong with being annoying like me?" Naruto pressed with a goofy smile on his face, popping a cup of noodles in the microwave. "We can be annoying together, Keebs MaGeebs. Just you and I, one agitating instance at a time."

"You're stupid," Kiba growled. "Anyways, then they start making googly eyes at each other when she was stitching him up. It was like watching the beginning of a porno, I felt violated just being in there."

"You'd know a lot about that, wouldn't you, Kiba?" Shino commented quietly from across the room. If his jacket hadn't been hiding the lower half of his face, Kakashi was sure he'd see a sly smirk there.

While everyone laughed, Kiba continued on as if he hadn't been dug at, "_Then_ they start talking shit about me hooking up with Himari."

"Please," Ino giggled. "We all know you've got the hots for her. You practically beg for her every time you're at the hospital."

"This isn't about me, okay!?" Kiba nearly shouted, Akamaru barking deeply in agreement. "Can we talk about the fact that Kakashi and Sakura eye-fucked each other, _in my presence!?_"

"Sakura? That's a pretty name," Temari gibed, leaning against the counter with her hip pressed into Shikamaru's hip. "Does the name match the face?"

"Don't even try," Kiba grunted bitterly. "You know how this guy is. 'She's cool,' is what you'll get out of him. Personally, even though she's a bit of an ass, I'd say that she's actually really—"

"Ravishing? Beautiful? A literal angel on earth?" Kakashi bemused out loud, focus on his hands. He was sitting halfway on Tsunade's desk, toying with a Rubric cube that had been sitting there unsolved.

The room became eerily silent.

Kakashi perused, meeting several pairs of stunned eyes studying him. They looked as though he just announced that he had some untreatable disease. He couldn't blame them, though. He never talked about the women he met up with; he figured there was never much to say if it was just a one night stand. Even if they were pretty, he never let on that they were. Not out of disrespect, but because it didn't really matter. They weren't staying around, so it wasn't of significance.

Hinata was the first one to break the silence, "You said she is ravishing, Kakashi?"

"Mmh, mmhmm. She's exceptionally beautiful. And I'll have you know," Kakashi started, looking back down at the cube and feeling satisfied that he figured out one side already. "She may be an ass, but she's my ass, Keeber MaGeeber."

This time, Naruto was the one to speak, blurting out with a mouthful of noodles, "Say, are you smoking crack, Kakashi?"

Kakashi chuckled, "Crack is wack."

"What do you mean she's your ass?" Ino inquired skeptically.

Kakashi twitched his shoulder lazily; glancing up from the rubric cube to meet Ino's questioning stare with a steady, sure gaze of his own. "I said, she may be an ass, _but _that she's _my _ass. I mean, really," he chuckled again, raising his hands up on either side of his shoulders, "it's not that hard to understand."

"You can't stake your claim on a woman that you don't know and isn't even yours," Gaara disputed from behind the couch, arms crossed over his chest.

"That, my sandiest of friends, is where your wrong," Kakashi retorted with a grin, wiggling is index finger in Gaara's direction. "All good things go to those who wait. I am an incredibly patient man. I will take all the time in the world to break down her walls if it means I can get close to her."

There was another gravid pause in the room, every single person stiff like they'd been electrocuted with a cattle prod.

Tsunade, who had been sitting at the desk glaring at Kakashi for sitting on it, hummed rather mischievously, "Is that commitment I hear?"

She was teasing, but behind the snarky comment was a truth that everyone was painfully aware of and understood. That's why even something as small of a statement like this out of Kakashi was a bit of a shock.

Kakashi's mouth spread wide into an excited, wolfish smile, "You heard right."

Since then, it was a collective understanding throughout the entire team. The mornings Kakashi would see Sakura, he'd saunter into the safe house that was underneath club Samurai, musing about the way Sakura had her hair up that day, or something funny she'd said. Even if the team wanted to be skeptical, they knew they couldn't. The determination he had for Sakura was so tangible that even Ino was in on setting them up, even though Kakashi stated to her that this was a one man job that he'd accomplish on his own. After awhile, it became somewhat of a bet among the crew. "Have you asked her out again!?" Naruto would sometimes excitedly shout. Each person would give their two cents on how he should woo her, and though Kakashi appreciated the, usually very bad, advice; he was set on doing it his own way, the way he hoped would slowly win Sakura into opening up to him.

He understood it wasn't going to be easy, that woman was a steel trap and he witnessed it in her eyes every time she slammed it down. Regardless, he never let it bother him. He knew all too well the fear of getting close to someone again, therefore pushing everyone else away, it's something that he was an expert at. Though he didn't fully understand the instant infatuation with her, he understood that this was a person he couldn't simply walk away from. Sakura was the woman he'd wanted, he knew it deep in his gut.

Sakura was his last shot at love.

No matter how hard she pushed, he wasn't going to let her slip away so easily. He knew, behind the walls she put up, there was a woman who only wanted to be loved and honored. He felt he was the man for the job. Something told him that she was robbed of that, so it only felt right to show her what it truly meant and how it truly felt. Something told him that their souls had just enough of something; he didn't know what the fuck it was, to make each other feel whole. To top it off, the more she slowly started to actually converse with him, the more Kakashi saw her personality and small instances of her soul. He found himself loving every bit of it. She was funny, sassy, self assured, smart, and strong. Though he didn't know all of her yet, the small bits of her gave him a confidence that made him want to soar. It almost made him feel drunk when she'd hang around a little longer than usual in the halls of the apartment complex. Before, it was a couple words here, not looking at him, back towards him, and then she'd hurry in. Now, she'd turn to face him full on, she'd smile when he called her name. Her stance was more relaxed; her eyes sparkled just a little bit. It was these glimpses into what could only be a future of that radiating beauty that kept him reeled in. He wanted into that secret place of her heart; he wanted to be the only man allowed there because he patiently worked to earn his keep there.

As much as Kakashi wanted to ravish her entire being and try to prove her in one smoldering kiss just how she should be treasured, he understood things like this took time.

He was an incredibly patient man.

Everyone on the team saw this in its fullness now, and was wholly committed to seeing it through with Kakashi.

"She's here?" Kakashi questioned, scanning the crowd from the wall he was leaned up against, arms crossed.

"Yep, she came in with Ino and three other girls. They all look pretty wrecked if I'm being honest." Shikamaru sighed heavily through the earpiece, causing it to crackle some.

Kakashi swore Ino internally. As of right now, this was a dangerous place— the last place that Sakura should be, with the expectancy that Sota was on the prowl.

Kakashi pressed on the ear piece, his otherwise calm tone chilled "Ino, what were you thinking? You're putting her in danger by bringing her here."

A couple minutes passed before a crackle came through on Ino's end, "You should be thanking me," she spoke in a low tone as to not get caught. "If she hadn't gone out with us, I know for a _fact _she was going to be out in the streets of Tokyo somewhere exploring like she always does. I'd rather her be here with us watching, than out there when Sota and his men are out. They could be scouting Tokyo right now while he's here."

Kakashi didn't have anything to say to her, because it made sense. If Sota was here, there's no doubt he sent his men out, too. Sakura would be helpless against them. Even if it is in the lion's den, Sakura is safer here than out there, where Kakashi could watch her.

"Where is she?" He quipped again.

"She took off with Ino to the dance floor after they took a shot," Rock Lee replied instantly.

Kakashi would have rolled his eyes, had they not been immediately glued somewhere else.

Directly across from him, with only several bodies blocking sight of her now and then was Sakura.

_Jesus-fucking-Christ._

She looked..._edible._

The way the vines on those sheer tights crawled their way up her strapping legs to disappear under shorts that hugged her curvilinear ass tightly made Kakashi wishing his hands could replace the embroidery. She didn't have a lot of makeup on; it was only enough that it served to enhance her beauty. Bright red lipstick followed the Cupid's bow of her lips in a seductive pout. Her hair, which he usually saw up in a high pony, shuddered its way down her back, stopping just at the highest peak of her behind in beach waves. The choker around her neck only made it appear more swan-like, the contrast from ivory and black velvet austere.

Shikamaru was right.

Sakura is looking outstandingly fine...and also drunk.

Her eyes were closed to the world around her while her hips swayed, each hip alternating with the opposite shoulder. Her head whipped around, hair tousling from her back to over her shoulder. Each movement she made was just a little careless and serpentine; however Kakashi was caught in her trance. He paid close attention to the subtle way her red lips had parted from her breathing, the sheer glean of sweat on her skin making her appear as though she were sparkling under the luminescent lights of the club. To Sakura's left Ino was just a couple feet away, dancing with some random guy, simply passing time as she waited for the cue.

Turning his attention back to Sakura, Kakashi almost wished he hadn't. She was twirling now, arms crossed at the wrists over her head, rolling her body in slow, torturous waves. Even from where he was standing, he could see the slight tightening of her stomach muscles with each deliberate gesture. It was enough to drive him mad, and only made him wonder if her stomach muscles would tighten in the same manner on top of him…

Kakashi shook his head abruptly.

He knew he couldn't afford a distraction right now, however he also knew that keeping her safe was right there along with snagging Sota. He sort of wished she was a goofy dancer, instead of some ancient seductress come to claim the souls of men. He'd have a hell of an easier time concentrating.

Speaking of men, they were all on her. Most simply watched her from a distance, drinks in hand as they eyed her figure hungrily. Some were as bold as to attempt to dance with her; one guy even crossing the invisible border that was Sakura's bubble and attempting to press against her. Kakashi felt his muscles twitch in response, but before he could do anything Sakura had shoved the man away roughly, and he could hear her aggressive, "Fuck off," over the music.

A highfalutin crow inched its way into Kakashi's face.

He was not a jealous man by any means, not even slightly. However, Kakashi did consider himself possessive. Not in the arrogant way, not in a way that would hinder or hurt Sakura at all; the urge was more primal, a deep-seeded sense of pride he felt that he wanted others to know she was a part of him, and he was a part of her. One was not without the other, even if they were apart.

"Sota," Choji grunted discreetly.

Kakashi was brought back to the present, instantly made aware of his surroundings. His eyes became sharp, feinting into the crowd to search, back to Sakura, then back to the crowd. "Bar," he heard Naruto affront. "Right end."

Sure enough, leaning with his back against the bar and arms resting on either side of it, was Sota. His hair was slicked back in his typical style, the look on his face smug while his head swiveled over the dancing bodies. He was wearing a black t-shirt and black pants. Kakashi felt his gut twist fiercely in disgust at the sight of the man. "Eyes," he ordered sharply.

Everyone responded "check" in a string of succession, meaning they all could spot him and were watching him. Behind Sota, Naruto was the one to hand him the drink. As a back up, they had laced with drink with a tasteless sleeping agent that would knock Sota out, but they weren't betting on it. From what they've learned, the drink in his hand is purely for looks and to blend in. For fifteen minutes, Sota did nothing but watch the crowd, only moving slightly in attempts to look like he was dancing, too. "Perimeter," Kiba instructed.

"First," Shino responded, no doubt disappearing from his post in an instant.

Kakashi glanced over at Sakura, whose dancing was slowing down now, from feckless shakes to a movement that was more aware. She rolled her neck and shoulders, fanning her face as she swept the crowd before her, no doubt looking for Ino or any of the other girls she was with. A tiny woman with space buns skipped her way in front of Sakura, leaning in to giggle something in her ear. Sakura leaned back on her heels some, shaking her head at whatever the woman told her. Seeing her now that she had slowed down, it was obvious that Sakura had way too many drinks.

"Moving," Tenten quipped. "Second perimeter, going now."

Snapping his eyes off of Sakura, Kakashi and the team watched carefully as Sota sauntered from his position against the bar to slowly dancing his way through the crowd. His eyes seemed to be trained on a woman wearing a tight red bodysuit who was thrashing her equally red haired head about like a maniac. "Ino," Neji signaled deeply.

"Yes," she replied smoothly.

Kakashi checked over to Sakura, who had broke away from the spot she was dancing at, squeezing past people towards the back door. "Shit, where is she going?" Kiba demanded, his tone offset.

Sakura, who was still wiggling her way through the crowd, got pushed to the left some by some excited dancers; shooting her directly into Sota's side.

"_Shit,_" Kiba cursed again.

Sota swiveled his head to glare at the offender, however when he caught sight of Sakura, his expression turned to one of revolting delight. His hands reached up to Sakura's shoulders, steadying her loaded form. He smiled at her, leaning close to her ear to whisper something that no one had any chance of hearing over the music. Sakura reeled back, placing a hand flat on his shoulder and giving a shove that sent him back a step or two. He blustered, reaching for her wrist and yanking her towards him, just rough enough that anyone watching who didn't know him would think they were dancing. With a hard jerk, Sakura pulled back her wrist, slapping Sota across the face so harshly his head whipped in the other direction. Some of the people around the two looked back and spread out, away from them. Sakura was still shouting, however still no one could hear what she was saying; they could only see the glare that was deepening on Sota's face.

"INO," Kakashi ground out between his teeth, moving alongside the wall closer to Sakura was.

"On it," she returned shakily.

Ino could be seen zipping her way through the crowd towards Sota. Sakura turned away from Sota, making her way out the back door that lead to the back alley. Kakashi could see Sota moving to follow her, taking a step in her direction before Ino slid into place, pretending to fall into his arms and causing him to fall back. "Oh my god, imsosorry," Kakashi heard her imitate in a drunken manner, sliding past them and out the back door where Sakura had left.

Stepping out, the streets were wet with the recent rain; small puddles mirrors to the glowing signs down the street to the right. Kakashi watched Sakura exit the alley and turn the corner, the sound of her shoes splashing in the puddles ahead of her filling the silence of the alley. "I'm going to make sure she gets home safe, take care of Sota. Make sure he doesn't follow us out, or any of his goons try to. Shino, you and Tenten run consistent perimeters until I call and say we are safe. Chances are, he's going to have it out for Sakura now." Kakashi tensely ordered in the earpiece.

The voices on the end of the earpiece came out in a strained unison of, "Agreed."

Immediately Kakashi took off down the alley, rounding the corner and nearly running into a group of college-aged students. The streets were still fairly crowded as this particular part of Tokyo doesn't really shut down until the sun rises. Overlooking the sidewalk, he caught sight of Sakura's pink head bobbing among the masses of others. Kakashi made his way down the sidewalk, slowing from a jog to stroll right up to Sakura's side. "I _said_ leave me the _fuck_ alone!" A small hand darted out for Kakashi's face, which he caught adeptly. Sakura adjusted her head, squinting hard at Kakashi for a couple beats and then widening in realization.

"Kakashi…" she breathed.

"Sakura," Kakashi replied, doing his best to sooth his seething tone. He let go of her wrist, her hand flopping down to her side.

Sakura frowned, "I'm sorry, I thought you were...that guy...back there….jackass. He's a jackass. Did you hear what he said to me?"

Kakashi's jaw flexed, "No ma'am, I'm afraid I didn't. But I did see you slap him."

"He said—he said that...wait. Were you in there? The club?" She piqued, her expression baffled.

"I was, yes. That's the club I bounce at."

Sakura's once confused expression conformed to one of childlike delight, "Wwwwwwwooooooowwwww! That's so cool! That's...wait, why are you walking with me? Are you following me?"

Kakashi feigned a smile, "Can't let a pretty lady walk around by herself at night."

At this Sakura snorted sloppily, "Psh. This isn't 1972. It's modern...you know, like day and age shit….I don't need anyone walking me home." She held up her hand flat, moving it around in a semi-circle before jutting it out to cut the air straight at her side. "I know...Taijutsu…"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Hhmmm. Is that so? Tell me, how much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Problem, officer?" Sakura cracked, tossing her head back and laughing mirthfully at her own quip.

Kakashi couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled up from his tight chest. He held his hands up, "No problem, ma'am." He took the second to glance around clandestinely, looking for anyone out of the ordinary that might be posted up. Every time he searched, he only seemed to find civilians, and no one out of the ordinary.

"I'll have you know, I have had…" Sakura began to count on her hands, mumbling under her breath incoherently. Once she got to eight fingers she was holding up, she furrowed her brow and huffed, letting her hands slap back down on her thighs. "I don't know. I don't remember. They just kept having shot after shot. Drink after drink." She brought her hand up in the universal sign of drinking a beer, shaking it back and forth close to her mouth. "I've partied before, but never that….never that many drinks….I'm good, hey—" she snapped her fingers in front of Kakashi's face, which had once again been browsing the street. He shot a glance over at her, smiling only slightly. No matter how angry he was, no matter how on edge he felt; he couldn't let Sakura in on that anything was happening.

Not yet, anyways.

When Kakashi emitted a smile, Sakura's already flushed cheeks seemed to flush even more, if that was humanly possible. She blinked several times, turning her attention back to the sidewalk ahead of her, then back to Kakashi. Her movements were slow, her reactions delayed. He was surprised that she was even managing to walk in the right direction to the apartment. The pair walked in silence for ten minutes, the voices of passer-byes carrying from all around them and into the air. Studying Sakura's face, Kakashi couldn't make heads or tails of what she could possibly be thinking. One minute her face was incredibly expressive to a fault, the next it was pure stone. He was sure whatever thought process she was struggling to connect wasn't understandable in the slightest. The drunken glaze in her eyes told him that off the bat.

During this time, Kakashi could hear all the going's on in the ear piece. Communication between the team was fluid, one order after another that each person followed seamlessly. He felt confident this time around that Sota was as good as theirs, up until a big wrench was thrown in it all. He could hear Kiba telling Naruto, Neji, and Shino to follow him after Sota; from the sounds of it, Sota managed to slip out of Ino's grasp and was heading out in the opposite direction in attempts to get out of Tokyo. Kakashi hopes that they'd be able to catch up to him, but with him out of the club and on the road it only meant his men were with him. The closer he got to whatever location he was intending to, the more men would be there. At some point, the team would have to back off and regroup.

As much as Kakashi hated that notion, in the moment he was relieved. The further away from Sakura he was, the better.

He couldn't help the heated feeling he felt rise deep from within his bosom. Just seeing the rough way he handled her was enough to send Kakashi charging in the same direction, ready to rip his still beating heart out of the cavity of his chest. Sure, he felt the same amount of rage and injustice at the very thought of any of his teammates being compromised in the same way, but with Sakura it was an irrational anger that burned deeper than any he had felt before. Just the _thought_ that she could now be a target made him enraged. Thinking about the abuse she would endure, rape, being drugged...If he didn't already have it out for the man, he most certainly did now. Kakashi was going to make _sure _that Sota was theirs.

Whether or not they gave him up to the cops, he didn't know.

The thought of killing the man altogether tantalized his fury more.

The self-loathing part of him wanted to blame himself; to say it was his fault all of this happened. But he knew better. He understood it was no one's fault, just a shitty string of events that lead to the situation they're in now. He didn't blame Ino, either, because Ino had the right idea. Had they not been there, she could have been compromised anywhere else. Sota was a spiteful man, and Kakashi knew he was going to hunt for Sakura, now. Kakashi knew he'd have to meet up with the team tomorrow to discuss their next plan of action, as far as Sota goes and protecting Sakura.

Until then, his main focus was to get her home and keep her safe.

The sound of Sakura tumbling forward is what broke Kakashi out of his livid thinking. She tripped forward once, caught herself, tripped again; caught herself, and then tripped again. She jolted forward, nearly smashing her face directly into the concrete had Kakashi not swooped forward, encircling his arms around her stomach and pulling her back to set her upright on her feet again. Sakura lamented, pausing to lean against a building and hunch over halfway, hands on either side of her face. Kakashi placed a hand on the back of her shoulder, "Hey, what's going on?"

She took a deep breath in through her nose, blowing loudly out of her mouth, "I feel…kind of…woozy…"

"Woozy? Do you need to puke?" Kakashi surveyed the street, looking for a trashcan. "Hey, there's a dumpster down that alley. Do you want to go back there and throw up?"

Sakura shook her head, pink locks falling forward. "No. I don't throw up. How far are we? I think I forgot where to go…"

"We aren't far. We've got one more block to go and you'll be home," Kakashi replied in an encouraging tone, rubbing small circles on her shoulder.

"Just one more block?"

"Yes, just one more block," he affirmed.

Sakura straightened, taking in another deep breath and taking a step forward; only to stumble to the side and fall against the wall.

"Okay, you need help," Kakashi commented, grabbing ahold of Sakura's arm and slinking it around his shoulders, his left arm wrapping around to hold her waist. At first, Sakura struggled, muttering about it being the twenty-first century and not needing help, weakly trying to pull away out of Kakashi's firm grasp. Not listening, Kakaski began to walk them further, holding her just tight enough that her semi-limp body didn't slip out. Eventually, she gave up; instead following Kakashi's lead and breathing deeply. Kakashi could smell her again, the exact smell as last time, save for the sharp tang of alcohol. It was a roses and honey combination that eluded him and attracted him. With his arm wrapped around her, he could feel the resistance of her curved flesh and muscle meet against his hold. Her waist was so cinched in that she was pulled in pretty tight to him; when they walked the sway and width of her hips pushed him over to the side slightly each time.

Once they reached the complex, Kakashi guided Sakura into the elevator, disengaging himself from Sakura so he could push the button. Inside the elevator was wrapped in mirrors, head to toe. Sakura, grasping onto the side bar, studied her reflection in the mirror. "Ugh," she scoffed, swiping at some lipstick that had smeared. "I…look like a fuckin'…you know, one of those guys from the circus? With the noses…" Her hand hovered over her nose, deftly making a honking gesture.

"A clown?" Kakashi finished distraitly.

"Yes!" Sakura snapped her fingers. Well, she tried to snap them anyways. The desire was there, but she didn't put enough force and pressure behind it, so was emitted instead of a snap was the soft swish of skin rubbing against itself. "I look…like a clown, man. It's unfair," she sighed heavily.

"You look beautiful," Kakashi extolled in a mellow vibrato.

Sakura scoffed, while the doors to the elevator slid open. She impelled, swaying with each step as she did. Kakashi caught up, hand hovering just over the small of her back, ready to catch her if she falls over again. "What was that for?" Kakashi egged playfully.

"What was what for?" She drawled, barely looking over her shoulder at him. Her eyes were more lidded now, looking as if she was going to pass out any minute.

"You snorted at me," he continued, still teasing.

"Oh…" Sakura halted suddenly, whipping around quickly to point a thin finger hard on his chest. "You know what your problem is, hmmm?"

Kakashi raised his chin, his expression vexing. "What's my problem, Sakura?"

Pink brows pinched in the middle in a hard glare, her little nose wrinkled, red lips formed in a grimace, "You…Your problem, is that…you're too good looking."

Kakashi broke out into a iniquitous, toothy smile; revealing marginally elongated canines, eyebrows quirked into a sly declaration. "You are very drunk," he chuckled, meandering past her to the front door of her apartment.

"See?!" She nearly shouted as she stumbled behind him. "I hate when…I hate when you smile like that…It's just…"

Kakashi cocked his head, "Just…?" He challenged.

Sakura set her jaw, eyes flashing at the sight of a challenge. "Too hot to handle."

"You are going to hate me in the morning," he chortled, silver locks twitching when he shook his head.

"What?" She pressed, trying to maintain her stance even though she swayed on the spot. "It's…you know, it's true…you know. You, like…do that smile, and I get hot and bothered…it's just unfair."

"No, no no." Kakashi shook a finger at her. "What's _unfair_ is that you're admitting to me that you think I'm hot, but you are drunk off of your ass so chances are you won't remember any of this,_ and _you'll deny it aggressively when I bring it up."

"I'll remember…" she retorted defiantly.

Kakashi gave Sakura a deadpanned look. "You're more likely to give me a black eye before you admit that you think I'm cute."

"But I do think you're cute," she interjected in a rosy manner. "In fact, I think you're fuckin _hot._"

Another snicker, "What would sober Sakura say to drunk Sakura right now? Hmm? Also, where is your apartment key? We can't get in without it."

Sakura began to dig into the small pockets of her short shorts, muttering under her breath, "That I need to get laid…"

Kakashi blinked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, watching her carefully to see if she just fully understood what she said. Sakura was bold, and often said what was on her mind, but _this_ is something deep in the recesses of a surface that hasn't even been scratched. Kakashi knew when people are drunk they say what's been on their minds that they couldn't otherwise say outloud sober. If she were sober, he would of happily given her a smug reply saying, "I can fix that," but that wasn't the case here. If she did happen to remember anything, he didn't want it to be misconstrued that he was trying to take advantage of her drunken state. However, Sakura was _ridiculously_ drunk, and he already planned that she was going to push him back some out of embarrassment for her behavior tonight. He decided that he would just avoid it altogether and tease her for it in the morning, when she was coherent.

Anything to see that cute blush rise up on her face.

Sakura continued to dig around in her shorts; front pockets, back pockets, pulling the front pockets out, twirling around in attempts to look at her back pocket. "Sakura," he chuckled, holding her elbow to stop her. "What are you doing?"

She looked up at him, her green eyes wide with panic. "My key! I can't find my key!"

Kakashi raised his hands up in a soothing manner, "Sakura, just try to think back. When did you have them last?"

Her forehead wrinkled together when she squinted her eyes shut, biting down on her lip while she struggled to remember. After a moment, her eyes crept open, appearing ashamed. "I…I can't remember…"

Kakashi gave a slow bob of his head. "That's alright. I'm sure Ino or one of the girls has it. You don't have a spare, do you?"

Sakura rocked her head, worrying her lip as she did.

Watching her bite down on her lip, Kakashi thought he'd level the playing field. She admitted something about him, he'd do the same. What's the worst that could happen? She'd either forget, and that would be that; or she'd remember and come to understand just how powerful of an effect the simplest stuff she did around him had. "Sakura," he mustered in the huskiest tone he could manage. "Stop biting down on your lip."

"W-why…?" She stuttered, pulling her lower lip out from under her teeth.

"Because, in the same way that my apparent smile gets you 'hot and bothered,' I feel the same way when you bite down on your lip like that."

To Kakashi's delight, a fresh wave of blood rushed to her fair cheeks.

"Now, we don't have a way to get into your apartment. You can stay the night at my apartment tonight, and tomorrow morning we'll call Ino about the key," Kakashi stated, glossing over the fact that she was eyeing him with a regard he'd never seen her express before.

"What about Rocky…" she riddled with a deep frown.

"Well, does Balboa have food and water?" Kakashi questioned.

Sakura nodded, doleful.

"Alright, he'll be fine for the night. Like I said, in the morning we'll get up and call Ino about your key. But right now, you are swaying all over the place, you look exhausted, and I'm sure you're not feeling too good, either. It's better you lay down and sleep it off," he explained, grabbing her by the hand and guiding her down the other hall to his apartment. Kakashi noted how perfect her tiny hand fit into his, even if it was sweaty from all the drinking. Most bodily functions like sweat, smell, fluids; they didn't bother Kakashi at all. To him, it's what made all of them human and it was a feature everyone shared equally. It was never something that grossed him out like it did other people. In fact, he found when someone embraced what was only natural to be quite enduring.

The moment Kakashi unlocked the door, he made sure to walk in front of Sakura to herd the group of excited dogs that were waiting for him. They barked happily, tails wagging and paws leaping all around. As soon as they caught sight of Sakura, they huddled around her; sniffing her hands and feet. Sakura regarded all the dogs with a delighted smile on her face, squatting down to pet them. "How many dogs do you hhhaaavvveeeeee?!" She sang, squishing her face into Bull's rolls.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, "Eh…eight…"

"Eight?!" She squeaked, ruffling the top of Guruko's head. "How…all eight…How?"

"I've got a good routine down for them, that they've all gotten used to. Besides, I've got the corner apartment that's essentially a suite, so there's more than enough room for them," he answered, scooting them back with his feet.

Eventually the herd of dogs broke away from Sakura, all except Bisuke who she had swept up in her arms. She was rubbing his ear tenderly, planting kisses all down his head, leaving red marks in its wake. "I'll steal them all…" she mumbled, landing one more fat kiss on the pup's nose before gingerly setting him back down on the ground.

"We will wrestle if you do that," Kakashi jeered, moving to set his key on the small table close to the front door.

"Nice place…" she complimented thickly, leaning on her hand against the wall.

Kakashi took Sakura's form in. She wasn't able to stand up straight, anytime she attempted to she wobbled back and forth. Her liner was a little smeared on the sides, but otherwise it would of just been mistaken as a grungy look. Her hair appeared tangled from all the dancing she had done, and he didn't doubt that her skin probably felt sticky from the sweat. "Thanks," he grinned. "It's not much, but it's home. Here," he traversed his way to Sakura, wrapping an arm around her again to help her. This time around, Sakura didn't argue. She leaned into him more, so that his sturdy frame was supporting the weight of hers.

Going through the living room and down the small hall, the pair entered his bedroom where he carefully set her down on the edge of the bed. Once he removed his arm from around her waist, Kakashi rotated to face his dresser, where he began to pull open the drawers and dig through the compartments. "I don't have much…" he muttered. "And you're pretty small…" After some deep searching, he came across a light grey t-shirt and sweat pants. "You can wear these, these are as small as I could find. The sweats you can just roll up tight around the waist so they…Sakura, what are you doing?"

Standing not even two feet behind him was Sakura, staring him down with burning emerald eyes. She was fisting the edges of her crop top, sluggishly attempting to peel it off of her body. Kakashi clutched her forearm, using his strength to hold her still. His onyx eyes narrowed earnestly, examining Sakura's face. Her expression was resolute and urgent, eyes leaden with need. She tried to wriggle her arm out of his grasp, to no avail. "Whatever you're trying to do, Sakura…you need to stop." Kakashi spoke slowly and deliberately without trying to condescend her.

"Sleep with me," she propositioned intemperately.

"I'm not sleeping with you," he asserted in a level, gruff tone.

"Why?" She pleaded faintly, still attempting to twist her forearm out of his calloused hand. "Aren't I pretty?"

"You're stunning, but…you are drunk beyond understanding. You're not really present, Sakura," he answered softly, releasing his hold on her arm.

In an instant, Sakura grabbed Kakashi by the shoulders, lobbing him around and shoving him down on the bed contentiously. She leapt, slamming down on top of his waist that caused the breath to woosh out of his lungs and squeezing her thighs as if to hold him in place. "Sakura," Kakashi grunted. "This is rape."

Ignoring him, Sakura once again reached for the bottom of her shirt, writhing her torso when she went to pull it off. Once again, Kakashi caught her arms, shoving them down at her sides as forcefully as he could while still being gentle. "Just let it happen," she murmured, leaning down to kiss him.

Kakashi jerked upper torso to the side, pushing her up some and dodging her lips. "Sakura," he growled, whipping his head back with a disgruntled gawk.

"Stop fighting me," she whimpered, her expression breaking into one of despondency.

With her arms pinned at her side, Sakura gave a hard roll of her hips, milling her body against his. Kakashi closed his eyes at the motion, biting the inside of his cheek and counting down in his head to avoid his body's natural response. Noticing the distraction, Sakura leaned over again, managing to nip at his chin before he drove her back up. "Why won't you just fuck me?" She sniveled.

Opening his eyes, Kakashi observed Sakura. Tears had welled into her eyes and were spilling down her cheeks. Her shoulders were slumped in defeat, hear head hung low. When he met her eyes, he recognized the countenance swimming in the sea-foam depths. Alcohol tore down her walls so aggressively that he was witnessing the woman who hid behind them. He was witness to her desire to be loved, but he was also witness to how she had it all wrong. He saw himself there, he saw the same yearning for a lasting affection. In a sense, he felt as though he were violating a part of her by seeing this facet of this woman. She was so incredibly vulnerable, and the ball was in his court. The woman he was seeing now devasted him, and enraged him at the same time. Who hurt her to this extent? That she would be this desperate, this hurt, and this confused? He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to become the glue that would help hold her together. Kakashi wanted to hug her tight until she falls asleep, but he knew she would only feel more violated when she woke up. It would betray her trust, and even if she was severely drunk, she was gifting him a tender moment that he had to be careful to handle.

Attentively, Kakashi slid his hands from either side of her arms to the sides of her shoulders, rolling over to where she was on her back and his form rested half on her, half on the bed. One of his long legs settled in between hers, his right forearm braced on the sheets beside her head. He cupped her face with both hands, thumbs brushing away her tears, jet black eyes immersing themselves into hers. "I need you to listen to what I say," he began tenderly, his rich voice deep with intention. "Your value is not based off of a simple fuck. You are complicated and beautiful, and you are worthy of attention and time. You are a woman to be treasured and honored, not used for simple carnal pleasures. You are also incredibly drunk, so much that you're struggling to keep your eyes open. I will not take advantage of you. I am not that type of man. You absolutely have to understand just how important you are. Not just to the world, but to me." Kakashi leaned in, placing a soft, indolent kiss over her birthmark, causing Sakura's breathing to hitch and pause before slowly leveling out. "Now…" He slid off of her, pulling her up with him as he did. He noticed that her movements were getting to become less like a functioning person and more like a ragdoll. "You should really take a shower before you go to bed. Take these clothes," Kakashi swooped down to pick the articles off of the floor, placing them into Sakura's hand. "The shower is just right there…"

Sakura stayed frozen in place for a moment, staring down at the clothes in her hand until she side-stepped Kakashi and made small steps towards the restroom. Halfway, she stopped, sniffing and wiping away a lone tear. "I'm…"

"Sakura, take a shower," he scolded softly.

Without another word, she stepped into the restroom and shut the door, followed by the sound of the shower being turned on. Kakashi blew out the biggest breath he had been holding in, so much so that it felt as if he was deflating.

_What the fuck just happened?_

Shaking his head, he grabbed a set of his own clothes to change into and switched outfits quickly, settling for something more comfortable. In the process, he realized that his member was at half mast. He cursed himself, instantly feeling guilty. Even though he didn't do anything, and he knew he shouldn't blame himself for his body's natural response to a beautiful woman, he felt ashamed. Not ashamed that his body responded at all, but ashamed because he wasn't in full control as he would of liked to be. Kakashi took pride in his sense of control, it helped with all and every situation imaginable.

Well, at least he thought so.

He hadn't figured that something like this was going to happen at all. He settled on the notion that she was going to shower and pass out on his bed. The woman literally threw him on his own bed like he weighed nothing. _Christ, she is unhumanly strong._ Even though he doubted she was going to remember anything tonight, she was past far gone, a small part of him hoped that she would remember what he said to her tonight. Or that she would compartmentalize it somewhere deep in her brain, and something would happen that would sending it trudging back up to the forefront for her to recognize. He meant what he said, and he hoped she absorbed it. He wanted nothing from tonight to be misconstrued into him taking advantage of her. If anything, _she_ was the one taking advantage of him.

Kakashi smirked at the thought of her finding out she tried to have her way with him.

Fact of the matter is, most men would probably keep this a secret, if they really didn't want the other person to know it happened. Kakashi was not one of those men. He never hid anything from anyone, and she was not the exception. He was going to tell her what happened, and give her every last detail if she so chose to ask. He would, however, relay it over as lightly as possible so she wouldn't die of embarrassment.

He was right about one thing, though.

Sakura _is _trouble when she's got some drinks in her.

Shaking away the last remnants of lust, Kakashi tossed his other set of clothes into the hamper and shifted to get some water from the kitchen. Right as he was about to step out of the room, there was a loud bang that emitted from the restroom, followed up with a rough dirge from Sakura. Kakashi ambled up to the bathroom door, "Sakura? Is everything okay?" From where he was, the spatter of the shower was noisy, and he knew from experience it was deafening inside the restroom. Minutes passed with no response, and Kakashi was starting to worry that maybe she fell and hit her head. He wrapped his long fingers around the doorknob, pressing his ear against the door. He opened his mouth to speak, "Saku—"

It was Sakura's tumultuous, keening, quavering cry that cut off his words.

With a jolt, Kakashi twisted the doorknob and lurched in...


	8. Shower

Sakura didn't really know what was going on.

One minute she was throwing herself at Kakashi, the next she's standing in the shower, letting the surge of hot water wash away her tears. She felt dizzy and confused; struggling to keep her drooping eyes open. She'd heard what Kakashi said, albeit it was hard to focus with his frame on top of hers, but heard him nonetheless. Some part within her told her that she should be ashamed of herself, but in the moment she acted purely on impulse. He had just looked so handsome, and the smoky way he admitted to her that it got him worked up when she bit her lip only furthered her illusion that maybe it was just sex that he wanted. She felt ugly when he first made the move to avoid her; she felt like a worthless fool. It was the same worthlessness she felt at what would be considered the peak of her intimacy with Sasuke. Sakura tried to fight back Sasuke's ugly words whispering within her mind, she tried to kiss them away; only to have her advances dodged. Her last ditch effort to seduce him only made her feel stupid, the way he was holding her away from him would of humiliated her to death had she not been off her ass drunk.

That was, until he spoke.

She didn't have anything to say to him, she didn't know what to say; mainly because her mind was spinning way too fast for her to formulate a sentence. Sakura could only absorb, and hope that she would remember it in the morning. Because, Kakashi was right.

She _is_ ridiculously drunk. She wasn't really present; her level-headedness was miles away.  
She told herself that she'd have to thank him in the morning when she was more aware. She told herself that she would really reflect on the things he told her.  
Because, if she was being honest, the only thing on her mind right now was the scene of her body grinding into Kakashi's that was on repeat.

Even if the gesture was unwarranted, the feeling along with the image of the way he threw his head back and snapped his eyes shut sent a jounce of electricity straight to her core. Letting her eyes settle, Sakura ran her hands over the tops of her arms, fingers trailing over her collarbone, and following the swell of her breasts; just stopping at the highest peak of her nipples. She rubbed the heels of her hands on the outside of them, moving around the expanse of her chest before grabbing them fully and squeezing them together; the water trickling between the valley of her bosom like a waterfall. Pulling her hands back, she drew the tips of her breasts audaciously. A light, astonished coo slipped its way past the precipice of her lips; a delighted tingle ran down her spine in response to the pain. Sakura mimicked the action with her left hand, her right pressed flat against her stomach guiding its way down to her midmost.

Her middle finger traced her lowest lipline, a mild impromptu that grew violent with need. Her left hand moved to the free breast, repeating the same action while she eagerly sought the tumid nub; massaging tight circles that sent little flames of passion crackling on her sensitive flesh. As her ministrations grew rapid, so did the pleasure boiling deep within her. The impression wound increasingly, a rubber band being wrapped around a balloon so taut it was bound to burst. She tossed her head back, switching breasts again, and shifted to widen her stance so that she had better access. In doing so Sakura slipped, her foot jutting forward that forced her stance to change. Being as drunk as she was, remaining in a still position was a challenge in itself. When her foot slipped forward, Sakura leaned her torso over, quickly lifting her leg up on the edge of the tub with a crude thunk. Once she managed to steady herself, the new position left her more open to her onslaught, her hand rubbing her clit desperately, aching for release. She ground out another groan, her chest heaving with each labored breath she took.

For a brief moment, Sakura thought that maybe she had heard something; however, when she took a chance to dip her fingers deep into her incision with several sloppy thrusts, she forgot about it altogether. She switched services, going from as deep within herself as she could, rolling her hips forward to meet her hand; to paying attention to her clit again. These, paired with her free hand that continued to flop between swollen nipples—sent her over the edge. The balloon popped, erupting fragments of gratification vigorously buffeting out of her fingers and toes. She hadn't realized that she blurted out a haggard yowl; shoulders shuddering with each flutter following after her apex. Her hand came to a slow motion while her other hand still held her bosom tightly.

Opening her bacchant eyes, Sakura caught the unblinking gape of midnight ones.


	9. Repeat

Kakashi tried, he really did.

No matter how much he tossed and turned, no matter the amount of deep breaths he took, or counting backwards; he couldn't fall asleep. He just couldn't shake the image out of his head.

It had to of been one of the most erotic things he'd seen in a long time.

When he ran into the restroom, it was because he heard Sakura cry out; it made him think that she had really hurt herself. She was drunk; he didn't second guess that she'd fallen. Instead, he was met with the sight of a bare, soaking wet Sakura; her hands were on her body moving in languorous advances, her leg propped up on the tub leaving her fully exposed to him save for the hand that was tucked between her legs. The shower was still going, pelting off of her still trembling body and onto the floor some due to the angle. Her coral hair appeared deep-pink, as did the after-orgasm glow on her pearl cheeks. Her already small hand appeared slight compared to the brimful breast it was holding; the other one sitting neglected, small droplets of water dripping off of the tempered rose colored nipple, making Kakashi's mouth go dry as if he were the thirstiest man in the Sahara and her breasts were the inviting oasis. Her skin was sleek, the water rolling over her consolidated body, highlighting the muscle wrapped in satin hide. The scene was incredibly lascivious, especially since one of Kakashi's kinks happened to be masturbation.

He'd always dreamed of coming across a woman in throes of her own pleasure. It was something that he wanted to personally be witness to; to see eyes grow heavy, to hear the rapid succession of their breathing. To watch them bring themselves over to the edge. He had done guided masturbation with only a few women, as most of them felt awkward and uncomfortable doing it. The times he did, it was nice, but he only imagined how erotic it would be with Sakura. Here, he saw a woman unashamed of her need. Granted, she was drunk and was obviously behaving in a lewd manner that he was sure she only did around someone she trusts sober; but it was only a trait that she hid away from most of the world that alcohol had served to uncover.

The moment that Sakura noticed Kakashi barge in, he immediately averted his gaze; merely waiting for the inevitable moment she'd jump out of the shower and knock him square in the stomach. Instead of that, she surprised him by doing absolutely nothing of the sort. He heard her foot move from the side of the tub, the shower cut off, and the metal hooks of the shower curtain slide. "Towel?" She muttered chummily.

Kakashi swiveled his body so he was faced away from her, "In the cabinet, under the toilet."

While what he assumed was her grabbing a towel, Kakashi walked out of the restroom, making sure to shut the door behind him. He instead made his way to his kitchen, reaching into the cabinet to grab a tall glass and fill it with water. Kakashi didn't feel embarrassed for her; he didn't feel awkward or ashamed at all; although he did feel shocked to some extent. Honestly, all night had been pretty shocking, to say the least. He handled her as best as he could, but he couldn't help the thought that slipped into his brain that, if she trusted him with her body, he would have grabbed ahold of her and rapture her body endlessly, a personal challenge to make her cry louder than she made herself.  
He shook his head roughly.

"Sakura…are you decent?" Kakashi called over his shoulder.

There was an inaudible grunt from his bedroom, followed with a very inebriated, "Decent enough."

Kakashi took a couple steps down the hall, "So, if I go in there, you're not like…naked, or anything are you?"

"No," she grumbled back. At the sound of her voice, a couple of his dogs started to trot down the hall into the bedroom, stopping by the side of the bed and wagging their tails; indicating that she was probably laying on the bed.

Several more steps, "So, you're not naked. You're not flicking the bean, are you?"

A couple beats passed. "Bean?" she replied, confused.

"You're not touching yourself?"

"No."

Kakashi was standing in the threshold of the doorway now, peering over at Sakura who was sprawled out, thankfully dressed in the clothes he gave her and resembling a starfish, on top of the bed. "So, if I come in here, you promise not to sexually assault me?"

By this point, Kakashi was over the shock. Even though there was no way he was going to shake the scenes of the night out of his mind, he'd already come to terms with it happening, and found it quite humorous.

Sakura let out a testy sigh, "No. Can you leave now? I'm fuckin…tired…"

Kakashi smirked with a chortle, "Somebody's grouchy. You'd think after a good wank you'd be in a better mood."

Sakura, whose eyes had slid shut, cracked them open slightly, "…what…?" She was nodding off heavily.

"Hmm?" Kakashi hummed with a grin. "Nothing. I said that you need to drink this water before you fall asleep or you're going to be shriveled up and dehydrated tomorrow morning."

Sakura twitched her arm in a weak wave, "Water schmater. Sleep…schleep…"

Kakashi was on Sakura's side of the bed now, setting the water down on the bedside table so he could help her get settled. "Sakura, you sleep _under_ the blankets, not on top of them like some _monster._ Here, scoot up closer to the headboard."

Sakura bemoaned, the vexation clear on her face. Slowly, she sat up, haphazardly scooting halfway back and stopping with a huff; eyes still closed, her head lolled directly down, her torso folding forward when she did. With some finessing, Kakashi was able to pull the blanket out from underneath her, grabbing her ankle and drawing her down to where she was fully stretched out. He noted how fucking heavy her body was; every limb on her body had gone completely limp. Grabbing the water, he lifted her head up, tipping the glass towards her lips. "You need to drink a little, dude…" he muttered softly. Luckily, Sakura didn't fight him at all. She worked to sit up just a little bit, taking large, tawdry gulps. Once she was more than halfway through the glass, she turned her head, flopping a weak hand at the glass in efforts to push it away. Sakura mumbled something that Kakashi could not for the life of him make out. Rather, he ignored her incoherent ramble; choosing to tug the blanket over her. Just as he was about to ask her if she needed anything else, he could hear the wheeze of her light snore.

Afterwards, Kakashi really did his best to sleep. He did a load of laundry, including the clothes that Sakura had worn that night. He watched videos on his phone, he did pushups until his arms burned; when all that was done, he flipped open one of his favorite Icha Icha books. Reading it, unfortunately, only served to fuel his whirring mind. The scenes in the books were scenes he was playing out with Sakura in his head, and that was the last thing he needed right now. He finally decided to watch some re-run dramas playing on TV, managing to doze off for a several hours.

Ten rolled around, and a couple of Kakashi's dogs were nibbling at his fingers due to the fact that it was past their regular breakfast and potty time. With a grunt, Kakashi sat up, rubbing the top of Akino's head, "I'm sorry, bud," he croaked. "Let me wake up and I'll take you outside." Akino yipped, hopping up and twirling around with a happy pant. He padded his way to the kitchen with somnolent, yawning widely and rubbing his eyes as he set up the coffee machine. Kakashi had never been a morning person, and though he still woke up at the time he needed to, especially for jobs, the sleep never fully leaves his body until thirty minutes or so.

As soon as the coffee brewed, he poured himself a mug with a healthy serving of cinnamon bun flavored creamer. Kakashi stared out his window thoughtfully. Last night was a hell of a night, between a wild Sakura and the fact that Sota slipped right through their grasp. The team had to discuss, _today_, what they were going to do next and how Sakura now comes into play. Chances are, she's going to have to be monitored, which she wasn't going to be fond of if she found out. He was hoping that it would be light monitoring, but that hope was in vain. Sakura put a big target on her back by slapping the man, but how was she to know that he was a sex trafficking ring leader working for the Yakuza? To her he was some grabby asshole at the club that needed to be taught a lesson. Letting out a sigh, Kakashi pulled out his phone to send a mass text to the team:

We have to meet today. We need to figure out our next plan of action for Sota, and now Sakura. Meet at 2.

Text sent, Kakashi searched for Ino's contact and dialed.

"I got the text," Ino answered.

Kakashi snorted, "Good morning, Ino."

"How's Sakura?"

"Well, she is passed out. Your friend got pretty hammered last night, Ino. I think you forget that you are literally the only person in the world with a super-human alcohol tolerance," Kakashi cavorted.

"Ah, yeah. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get her _that_ fucked up. Thank you for taking her home."

"Mmh, well, that's where we have a problem." He retorted matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?" She piqued.

"Our lovely, enduring Sakura could not find her apartment key last night. She searched frivolously, she even pulled out her front pockets. She couldn't find it, so she's crashing her at my place," he answered directly.

"Oh, _fuck_! I totally forgot that she had asked me to hold her key in my purse because her pockets were too small and she was worried it would fall out of her back pocket."

"Can you please check your purse to see if it's in there?" Kakashi asked cordiality.

From Ino's end, Kakashi heard shuffling around as she moved the phone, the sound of fabric brushing, and Ino's murmuring in the background. A minute or two passed before Ino shouted, "Aha! It's here, I have it. Want me to bring it to you?"

"Can you meet us at that little breakfast joint across the comic book store?"

"Umm, the one that serves breakfast all day? With the mean old waitress?"

"That's the one," Kakashi replied offhandedly.

"Yeah, I can do that. You're lucky I chose the early-as-fuck morning shift. What time do you want to meet?"

"It's ten something now, say eleven thirty?"

"Alright, I'll be there," Ino chirped.

"Oh, and—Ino?"

"Hmm?"

"Take your time," Kakashi cheekily averred.

Ino giggled, "I'll be sure to be just late enough. By the way, did you two…"

"Did we what?"

"You know," she tittered. "Did you and Sakura get it on?"

"Ino, what type of man do you take me for?" Kakashi rebuked playfully.

"I know, I know. Just, all night last night it was like, her mission to get laid. She told me she hasn't been fucked in pretty much half a year. So we were all trying to set her up with guys, until…"

"Go on," he egged. "Until what?"

Ino hesitated, "I don't know if I should say…"

"You know you can't start a story and then not finish it, especially when it comes to the love of my life."

"Love of your life…." She repeated dimly. "Geez…Well, so this is what happened. We are at the club—"

"Yes," he incited.

"—and we were talking about getting Sakura laid—"

"Go on."

"—and Ibiki was asking Sakura what she liked in men, you know looks and whatnot."

Kakashi gibed, "Naturally."

Ino rambled on, "So anyways, she starts with tall. We go okay, tall. Then she says muscular. Then she says she likes dark eyes, and at this point I'm like ummm this is oddly specific, but then I was like maybe I'm just over thinking it."

"You could have been," he interjected easily.

"But _then_ she said that she liked messy and silver hair and I know—"

"My hair's messy? I always thought I was going for the sexy bed head, just-woke-up look."

Ino huffed, "Would you fucking shut up?"

Kakashi said nothing.

"_Anyways,_" Ino continued. "She says that, and I just knew right away. I actually told her to give you a chance, but now I'm thinking she's better off. But, I figured that she would try to jump your bones or something."

Kakashi hummed, "That explains a lot…"

"Explains what?" Ino pushed nosily.

"Bye Ino, see you later."

"Explains wha—"

Kakashi hung up, resting his arms on the counter and shaking his head.

No _wonder_ she did what she did.  
It had been in her head all night.

In a manner, Kakashi was delighted at the notion that she mentioned his features. Yeah, tall and muscular and dark eyes could apply to anyone else…but messy silver hair? Nobody else but him bab—ah, well…he supposed it could apply to older men, if she so willed it to.

Akino was at his feet again, standing up and rubbing his paws on Kakashi's thighs. "Okay, okay. Let's get everyone else and we'll go potty," Kakashi chimed blithely. Elbow propped against the counter, he let out the low whistle that he had trained his dogs to respond to. Of the eight, only three were sitting in eager attention at his feet. "Where are your friends?" he speculated, searching the living room and seeing none of the rest of them were in there. Kakashi gave out another whistle, stepping down the hallway and noticing that the bedroom door was cracked open. "Suspicious…" he observed knowingly.

Silently, he pushed the door open wider, glancing in.

The six other dogs remaining were all up on the bed with Sakura, their furry bodies balled up and conformed to her curves; sleeping. They surrounded her in a doggy halo, their faces the perfect picture of contentment. Of them all, Bull was the closest to Sakura. He lay in a semi-circle, Sakura's head resting on his body, his head resting on his paws close to her face. It didn't surprise Kakashi in the slightest that Bull took the most protective stance of all the dogs; it was in his nature. Aside from Kakashi being Alpha of the household pack, Bull was easily the Beta. Seeing Sakura asleep, her face, which is usually always guarded, appeared to be wholly relaxed. The way she behaved last night was one form of vulnerability, but seeing her in the morning was another form entirely. He remembered reading in a romantic novel somewhere that you fall in love with someone in the mornings, in the small moments between coming off of sleeping and waking up. All walls were down, there were no fears in the brief moment; only purely that person and their soul.  
And Kakashi was witness to it.

The other three dogs had come skipping in, Pakkun was the first to lean back into his haunches and leap onto the bed. He sniffed around the other dogs first, then moved to sniff Sakura's face past Bull's big head. Bull gave a rumbly grunt, shifting his weight and placing his head higher up, more fully revealing Sakura's face. Seizing the opportunity, Pakkun gave a delighted snort and licked Sakura's nose. "Pakkun," Kakashi hissed. "Down!" He pointed his finger at the floor. Pakkun ignored Kakashi, snorting close to Sakura's ear and licking her forehead.

Sakura's eyebrows twitched, "Rock…" she grumbled sluggishly, switching her head back and forth. "Stop…"

"It's not Balboa," Kakashi mouthed in a low voice. "It's Pakkun."

Sakura paused her movements, brow furrowing in confusion, "K-Kakashi?" She enunciated thickly.

"Present," he called back.

After a long, hard stretch; Sakura's hands started searching around, feeling all the fluffy bodies beside her and underneath her head. She inhaled through her nose, blinking her eyes as she sleepily took in the scene before her. "Dogs…?" She muttered. "I feel like shit…Where am I? Where's Ino?" Her voice was hoarse with sleep, a feature he found unendingly sexy.

"Ino is at work right now, and you are at my apartment," Kakashi ticked off.

Sakura scooted to where she was sitting up halfway, still leaned back on Bull. She still obviously wasn't fully awake. "Why am I here?"

Kakashi sauntered around to the wall across the front of his bed, leaning back against it, coffee cup in hand. "Sakura…you remember partying last night right?"

Sakura rubbed her eyes again, "Yes."

"Okay, very good…" Kakashi took a moment contemplating what to say next. "Do you…remember…anything that happened last night?"

"Not really…"

"Mmmh, mmhhmm…" he took a sip of his coffee, eyeing Sakura attentively. He figured she must still be coming to, because she was behaving surprisingly serene.

"Why?" She mumbled, stretching so far out that her arms and legs quivered subtly. "What happened?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Well, nothing too spectacular. By the time you reached Samurai, you were—no offense—_trashed._ A man there gets handsy with you when you were, for some reason unknown to me, trying to leave out the back door and you slapped the living shit out of him."

"Did I?" She subdued, seemingly unphased by this.

"Yeah, you sure did. Ino was still in the club with the other ladies that you all showed up with, and I saw you slip out the back. So, like the gentleman I am, I followed you out to walk you home."

Sakura snorted, "You didn't need to do that."

"Hmph. You told me that last night, too. Except you said that this wasn't 1972, and while women were still oppressed in the seventies, they have come a long way since then and were able to walk themselves home without an escort. Anyways, I walk you home, like the gent—"

"Like the gentleman you are," Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes.

Kakashi blinked and nodded gingerly, "Yep. I had to help you walk because at one point you were leaning against a building saying you felt woozy but that you don't throw up."

"It's true, I don't." She agreed, scratching the back of her head.

"I get you to the complex, but you didn't have your key."

Sakura tossed her head back in a sharp exhale of breath, "Fuck. That's right. I don't know where my key is…"

Kakashi held up a palm to her, "Don't worry. I called Ino and she has it. We are going to meet her at this breakfast joint here in bit so we can both eat and you get your key."

"So…you let me sleep here?"

Kakashi simpered, "I mean, you tell me. You _are _in my bed."

"Oh, yeah. In your bed…in your bed…" She whispered, staring down at Pakkun briefly. Suddenly, her eyes shot up, hardened and worried.

_There it is,_ Kakashi thought. _That steel trap._

Sakura plucked at the t-shirt she was wearing, shifting her legs under the blankets to no doubt feel if she was wearing clothes on her bottom half. Her cheeks grew a little pink. "Did…did we…?"

"Did we what, Sakura?" Kakashi challenged jocosely.

Sakura scowled, "You know what I'm talking about."

"See, I'm afraid that's where you're wrong. A lot of things happened between when you left the club and this morning. I'm going to really need you to specify."

"You're a jackass," she bit acidly. "Did we hook up?"

"Techniaclly, no. Not for lack of trying, though." He took another long sip of his coffee.

Sakura straightened, her tone panicked and sharp. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi sighed, "For starters, you tried to rape me."

"What?!" she barked, incredulous.

"Mmmhmm. Did you know, that you are _really_ strong? You quite literally grabbed me, twisted me around, tossed me on the bed like a fuckin rag doll, and then proceeded to leap on me like some sex-crazed baboon."

Sakura's eyes squinted, "You're lying."

"Nope," Kakashi shook his head. "It's the truth."

"What…what did I do?" She asked in a hushed tone as if it might hide what's already happened.

"Are you asking for a play by play, Sakura?"

"I…I guess…" she worried her lip.

"Maybe I should add, earlier in the night you admitted to me that you think I'm hot, you think I'm cute, and you hate when I smile at you because it gets you 'hot and bothered,'" Kakashi stated with a smug grin.

"Ooh my gooood," she groaned, rolling her eyes far back. "I didn't…"

"Hold your horses, bun, it gets better."

"Bun?" She repeated faintly.

Kakashi continued, "We were in my room, I'm grabbing you clothes that you can change into after you shower, and you were trying to take off your top. I stopped you, I was holding your arm. Once I let go is when you went all WWE on me and tossed my ass on the bed like you really wanted that belt. You tried to take off your top again, I stopped you. You tried to kiss me, I dodged it. You tried to hump me, and—"

Sakura gasped, "_What?!_"

"Not finished," Kakashi commented. "You tried to hump me and I deflected your drunken attempts at seducing me with my iron will. You got upset with me. I talked you out of it, and then got you to take a shower."

"I _humped you?_"

"Yeah, you did. It was a little bump and grind, but from what I hear there's nothing wrong with it," Kakashi digressed cooly.

Sakura's face was a startling bright, bright pink. She hung her head, "I'm so, so sorry. There had to of been Tequila involved somewhere last night…Tequila just…I go wild…So, you really didn't…"

"Didn't what?"

She plucked a shoulder, "You really didn't try anything?"

"I mean, I tried to pick up my shattered dignity when you made me your bitch by tossing me on the bed like that," he returned with a low exhale of breath.

"Was that all?"

"No ma'am," he remarked without missing a beat.

"There's _more?!_" Sakura exclaimed. "But you said that I just went to take a shower?"

"You did. I was out here changing, there was a loud bang and I called out to you. You didn't answer for maybe five minutes. I got closer to the door and went to call your name again, and I hear you scream—"

"I _screamed?_" Sakura's emerald eyes were so wide that they could of taken up the whole of her head if she wasn't careful.

Kakashi swirled his coffee, "You did. Because you were super mega drunk, and there was that loud bang, I assumed that you fell."

"Oh god," Sakura moaned. "Don't tell me I fell all over your bathroom floor like some idiot?"

"I think you're going to wish that you fell, Sakura," Kakashi stated carefully.

"What do you mean? What happened? What did I do?" Sakura egged anxiously.

"Are you really sure you want to know? I feel like you might be better off if you didn't."

"Is it that bad?" She whispered, leaning forward nervously.

"Mmh," Kakashi hummed, gesticulating. "I guess that depends on you. Some might find it…exhilarating?"

"Huh? Exhilarating? Did I fucking swing from the shower rod to the sink?"

"I'll spit it out, Sakura, I don't have a problem with that. What I don't want you to do is be upset with me, and push me away because of it," Kakashi warned weightily.

"Just stop dragging it out and tell me already!" She snapped impatiently.

"Okay. I heard you scream so I barged in because from the outside it did sound like you got really hurt. When I barged in, you were touching yourself and had just come down from what I'm guess was an amazing orgasm from the sound of it. Ugh," Kakashi shuddered. "I'm sure that made me sound creepy."

Sakura blanched. All the pink that was in her cheeks went to white, her jaw agape, and eyes incredulous.

Kakashi drank down the last of his coffee, waiting.

"You…you can't be serious…" she stuttered. "So, not only did I throw myself at you like some fucking idiot, BUT _then_ you barge in on me…_masturbating_…in your shower?"

"Sakura," Kakashi began softly. "You were out of your mind drunk. You weren't present, at all. The girls got you all riled up all night about getting some action, so it's not a surprise that all of that happened. Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm honestly glad that it happened here where you're safe than at some stranger's house."

"Here?!" She squeaked, the white of her face being battled by the rising crimson red. "In front of _you?_ Like a fucking _idiot?_" She let out another groan, her head falling into her hands. She shook her head. "That is SO embarrassing."

"For the record, I don't think you're a fucking idiot. We've all done wild shit when we're black out drunk; it's just something humans do. What happened will only stay between you and me, so you don't have to worry about anyone else finding out."

"But, you…that's…" She faltered from behind her hands. "I just _cannot_ believe I would do something like that…...and you didn't want anything to do with it?"

"Hm?" Kakashi's eyebrows quirked, confounded. "Didn't want anything to do with what? You?"

"It's just…not that I don't appreciate you doing right by me, it's just that…I mean, if I was throwing myself at you like you said I was, why didn't you just let it happen?" Sakura's face was still wrapped in her hands, but he could see from the spots of her face through her fingers just how humiliated she was. It was almost as if the same worthlessness she exuded last night was rearing its ugly head again this morning. He'd expected her to be embarrassed, but he hadn't figured she would say something along the same lines of what she said last night drunk, sober.

Kakashi peeled himself off of the wall, going to Sakura's side of the bed, and kneeling down to face her. He reached up to her hands, wiggling his fingers in between her palms and her face to remove them. Sakura kept her eyes closed, and in that moment Kakashi saw another glimpse of that hurt woman; and it baffled him. She always appeared self assured, so to see her in a split second of weakness only gave him more insight into her complexity. "Sakura," Kakashi titled sincerely. "Look at me."

Carefully, Sakura's eyes flicked up to meet his. There was fear there, she was exposing herself in a manner she probably swore she'd never do again. Deep in her distraught depths he could tell the moment was purely brief. "It's not that I didn't want anything to do with you, believe me; you unknowingly catered to one of my personal fantasies. But, I need you to understand that I will never take advantage of you…I don't know what happened to you in the past, but what I do know is that you're worth more than just a one time hook up. You are someone who deserves to be honored and treasured, respected and loved. You are stunning. You are smart. You are worth the time. Whatever thoughts you're thinking when you say those things are not true." He placed his hands on either side of her face again, searching astonished jade eyes. "I said it last night, I'll say it again. You are important, Sakura. To the world, and to me." Gauging her face, Kakashi repeated last night's action.

He leaned in, kissing Sakura's birth mark with a light press of his lips.

Pulling back, Kakashi took his hands away from her face, flashing Sakura a cunning, toothy smile. "Now, get ready. We've got to meet Ino."

Stoic, Sakura slid off of the bed to make her way to the restroom. She stopped halfway, this time looking over her shoulder at Kakashi. "Thank you…"

Kakashi chortled, "Anytime. Though, you owe me a date. Throwing me the way you did last night, I never felt less like a man and more like a piece of _meat."_

Sakura chuckled softly, rolling her eyes and going into the bathroom.

Watching her leave, Kakashi gazed out his bedroom window. Everything he said today, he was well aware was along the same lines of what he told her last night.

He'd say it time and time again, if it meant that she would begin to understand it.


	10. Diner

Last night was nothing but a gaping black maw for Sakura. Only bits and pieces seemed to flutter in, blurry and fleeting. Just when she'd think to herself that she'd have a hold of something, it'd break away into furry particles; dancing just off of the edge of her memory. Just before her and Kakashi left his apartment to meet Ino, Sakura was staring long and hard at her reflection in the mirror. On one hand, she wanted to believe that she hadn't been so crass than to do what Kakashi said she did. On the other, she didn't doubt it, either. Especially if Tequila had been involved last night; then there was no doubt in her mind that what played out did. She wondered if maybe Kakashi was holding anything else back, but the shameless way he let her hear all about it in the morning quickly squashed that notion.

Still, she had told him she thought he was hot? It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the way she'd imagined herself telling him. She figured it would come about in flirtatious conversation via a sly quip, not a drunken explanation that she was positive she slurred at him if she was as wasted as she thought she was last night.  
The throbbing migraine was proof of that.

Still, she had _tossed him on the bed and humped him?_ She remembers being told from her past hook ups that she can be pretty assertive in bed, but she had chalked it up to both parties being drunk so every action was exaggerated.  
That is, until Kakashi told her everything.

Sakura knew Kakashi hadn't been drinking; she only caught a glimpse of him at the club. It was a brief moment, a glance under her lashes during a drunken twirl on the dance floor. He was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, with one foot propped against the wall behind him. Just as soon as she had seen him, he was gone; mingled in the bustle of bodies that meddled together the quicker she spun. She remembers that, having fun, and dancing. She doesn't remember slapping a man; she doesn't remember Kakashi walking her home, or anything else after that. She doesn't remember essentially assaulting him, NOR does she remember masturbating in his shower.

Sakura let out a groan, her head dipping low between her shoulders in shame.

She was beyond mortified. A part of her wanted to be mad initially at the thought that Kakashi barged in, it was invasion of privacy that drunken Sakura was under the idea she had. Although, she couldn't blame Kakashi for doing what he did. Had Sakura been in her shoes, and she were having to babysit someone heavily drunk; she would of thought whoever was in the restroom had hurt themselves, too. Especially if there was a scream, like she did, apparently.

_Fucking Christ,_ Sakura thought to herself, splashing cold water on her face.

If she were being honest, she had to admit Kakashi had a point. What if she did go home with some random stranger, drunk as all get out? Even back when she used to randomly hook up, Sakura never let herself get so hammered she couldn't take herself home. What if she had taken off with someone? They could have taken advantage of her. Robbed her, pushed her past what she was willing to give up. She shuddered at the thought. At least it was with Kakashi. She didn't know why, but she had this innate sense of trust with him. His character before appeared wholesome, but after last night's events, it had quadrupled in effect. Kakashi had every opportunity to take advantage of her and have his way, whatever way he wanted. Instead, he merely saved her dignity and pushed her away. In a sense, Sakura only had her feelings mildly hurt. This incredibly handsome man that she'd only gotten to know just a little bit was shoving her advances away. Sakura had only ever dreamed about what having sex with him was like, and last night could have been her chance with alcohol as the perfect excuse to push her to initiate it; without feelings getting involved. Last night could have been purely physical.  
At least, that's what she told herself.

Walking with Kakashi to the diner, Sakura was lost in thought. As much as she wanted to deny that there was anything between her and Kakashi, she couldn't deny the tension between them was thick. Between the conversation that seemed to flow way too easily, to the flirtatious gibe that happened a little too casually. Some days she found herself taking a little longer to get to her apartment if it meant she could catch him in the hall. She was even double checking her appearance in the mornings, hoping to milk from Kakashi a very sleepy, "You look beautiful, today." Even if he already always said it every morning. There were a handful of times she quite nearly asked him if he wanted to get coffee, only to think twice about it and back out. Sakura knew she was long over Sasuke—she had been even during the time with him—but it was his harsh words that still reared their ugly faces at the slightest flicker of hope. She told herself that she wasn't ready for someone else, not this soon into being in Tokyo. But her thoughts were flip-flopping erratically. One minute she was the confident woman on her way to the top, ready to live life to the fullest and that meant letting go of inhibitions, following your gut, and doing what you want. What she wanted to do was be intimate with Kakashi. She wanted to be in his space, she wanted to be a part of the familiarity. Then, there was the other half. Telling her she's not ready, that this is too soon, and that he'll just use her and throw her away. She'll be replaced by some woman with thick thighs and big breasts; Sakura will be old news. There were days she'd get so stewed up in these thoughts that they'd carry with her all the way home, up until she met Kakashi in the hallway. That sly glint in his eyes revealed something she'd never seen before, and still couldn't put a name on. It was familiar, it was comfortable, and it was one big smile. A patient regard she couldn't fathom.  
On those days, seeing that look in onyx eyes seemed to dissipate all previous thinking.

Sakura was torn, and she felt that only time would tell just exactly what woman she would give into and become.

Secretly, she wanted to be the first woman. It didn't help that the words Kakashi spoke to her this morning seemed to seed themselves deep into her heart, despite any retort she came up with to disprove it. The way he spoke was so genuine it hurt. The way he met her gaze with a startling honestly; his eyes searching hers by far more intimate than touch alone. Then to top it off, the chaste peck on her forehead sent tingles radiating from her forehead down the rest of her body. The action was so pure, so sweet, and so reassuring. It was a gesture she'd never received from Sasuke, ever. While one man only ever made fun of her birthmark, another chose to kiss it in a manner so tender that she had to leave to the restroom, or she'd surely cry.

At the end of the day, Sakura only ever craved intimacy. Watching how Kakashi regarded her smart ass remarks with an equally witty come back of his own, she wondered if maybe it was just within her reach.

They had reached the diner, which was unsurprisingly packed for a Sunday afternoon. The diner took on the traditional Japanese mom and pop shop feel, and Sakura found herself loving the vibe. The inside reminded her of her grandma's kitchen; she supposed that the diner mimicked the same concept. Booths were light brown, the tables and chairs resembling a darker brown; all of which stood out stark compared to the white curtains pulled back on huge windows. Small lights hung over each of the tables, though the place was pretty lit up due to all the windows. There was a bar where people could eat, along with a waist high cut out where you could see the chefs hard at work. Waitresses went from table to table fluidly, while the one behind the bar counter greeted guests by name with a red-lipped smile. Kakashi led Sakura to a booth that was in the furthest left corner of the restaurant, sectioned away from the crowd of the diner, but still close enough to be considered involved with the overall aesthetic of the joint. Sakura gyrated her eyes around the place; observing decorations, people, and things of the like.

"First time here?" Kakashi's voice broke Sakura's speculation.

"Hmm?" Sakura focused her attention on Kakashi, who was stretched out before her in a feline manner. He was leaned back against the booth, his left arm resting on the top of the booth, right leg resting atop his left. He was wearing a black t-shirt, fabric stretched taunt around his arms and over his chest while the rest sat loose, folding over itself on the hard plane of his body. He had worn dark blue jeans on and what appeared to be black converse. The outfit had no real appeal to it, it was your simple every day guy-fit, however Sakura couldn't seem to keep her eyes off of his frame. How did someone make simple so appealing?

"Sakura?" Kakashi contested finically. "My eyes are up here."

Sakura scowled hard to fight back the rising blush, "Don't flatter yourself. I was just—"

"Checking me out?" He chuckled, using both hands directed at his chest. "I mean, this isn't even one of my nicer shirts. I've got this one that—"

"You've got nicer shirts?" Sakura wondered mockingly. "I don't know…it's hard to imagine a shirt nicer than the one you're wearing right now. I think I even saw that exact same shirt on a Louis Vutton fashion show once? Must have cost you a pretty penny."

Kakashi nodded knowingly, lips pressed into a thin line. "Mmmh, mmhhmm. Best believe it. Hey, I'll do you one solid. I'll let you wear this shirt first. After, I'll let you wear my nicer shirt. The V-neck on the nicer one is like an inch deeper, but it makes all the difference."

"Why am I wearing your shirts again?"

"Uh, so you can see how much nicer the other one is compared to this one—duh," Kakashi answered wryly, arms out on either side.

"How about I just take your word on it?" Sakura propositioned vacantly.

Kakashi rubbed his chin with his thumb, "Ah, well. It's just that, I see you in one of my shirts once and I wouldn't mind if you tried them all on."

Sakura's eyebrows fancied, "Most people would keep something like that to themselves."

"Sakura, kink shaming is a thing assholes do," Kakashi retorted in an instant.

"Maybe kink shaming is my kink," she rebutted without missing a beat, biting down on her lip to hold back the smile that threatened to form across her face.

Kakashi gave his own lively smile, black eyes crinkling in the corners as he did, "You can kink shame me all day if it means I get to see you in my nice shirt." His eyes glittered artfully, the side of his mouth pulling into an alluring grin.

The eye contact between the two had stretched out just long enough for their waitress to hobble her way up to them. The waitress was an older woman who was slightly hunched over. She had a mess of white hair that was teased into a beehive, and spray painted rock hard for good measure. Her yellow uniform appeared washed compared to her tanned skin. She was wearing pink lipstick and eyeliner that looked as though it was days old. The woman let out a hefty sigh, "You never know how to fuck off, do you?"

Sakura started, turning her head from the woman to Kakashi.

Kakashi grinned wickedly, "I suppose not."

"Mmh," the waitress deadpanned, pulling out a small notebook and pen. "None of your buddies today?"

"No ma'am, I'm afraid it's just Sakura and I."

The waitress gazed over her fifties-styled glasses between Kakashi and Sakura, "Whose this?" She barked, smacking her gum loudly.

Kakashi raised his chin, unbothered by the waitresses abrasive behavior, "This, my dear Flo, is Sakura."

"Sakura, hm?" Flo grunted, scrutinizing Sakura openly with squinted eyes. "Who is she? Your sister?"

"Now, Flo…if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to patronize me. You know full and well I don't have a sister. I knew you were getting old, but my my my," he closed his eyes and clicked his tongue, shaking his head back and forth as he did.

"Go fuck yourself," Flo remarked dismissively.

Another over-the-top smile, no doubt to irritate Flo, "Promptly. But right now, we are very hungry and you have those fluffy pancakes that I am dying for."

"Sa-kur-ra…" Flo sounded out, turning her back on Kakashi. "What will you have ?"

"I think…I'll take the fluffy pancakes, with eggs sunny side up," Sakura decided, folding the menu shut. "Can I have coffee, too?"

"Cream?" Flo barked, scribbling down on the small note book.

"Yes, cream."

"Mh," was all Flo gave Sakura. She then turned her back to Sakura, facing Kakashi again. "Dipshit?" She asked, pen and paper in hand.

"I don't know…" Kakashi trailed off, looking over the menu. "It all looks so good. Flo, could you tell me the difference between these pancakes and _these_ ones?" He pointed at the menu, glancing up at Flo expectantly.

Flo remained still, expression deadpanned. "Fluffy pancakes, black coffee, orange juice, and toast with blackberry jam." She snatched the menu out of his hands, folding it and tucking it underneath her arm. "I'll be back with your drinks," she muttered gruffly, sulking off.

"She's sweet," Sakura commented wearily.

Kakashi chuckled, "The sweetest. I've known Flo for years, now. She's worked here since I was a kid. We give each other shit, but when it boils down to it she'd give you the shirt off her back if you needed it."

It didn't take long for their drinks to arrive. Sakura dumped a happy helping of cream in her coffee, along with a couple packets of sugar. She inhaled the earthy scent deeply, taking in a long, careful sip. Kakashi watched her over his own cup, but otherwise said nothing to her at first. Five minutes had passed of the two stealing glances from each other before Kakashi spoke up. "Sakura, do you have any siblings?"

Sakura shook her head, "No, I don't. I've been an only child since I can remember. When I was ten, my mother was pregnant, but she lost the baby."

Kakashi's mouth twitched, "I'm sorry, I hear that's hard for women to handle."

Sakura cocked her head to the side, "Yeah, that's what I hear, too. But, if it was hard for my mom, she never let it show."

"What do you mean?"

"I just mean that, she looked happy—all the time. She kept working; she still took care of me, and talked as if nothing happened."

"And your dad?" Kakashi pressed.

"Well, my dad is…a brick wall of a man. He's tough, rough, and abrasive—to everyone that isn't my mom and I. He's never been one to show emotions or cry, or even show us that he was stressing out. He was a master at hiding his emotions so mom and I wouldn't stress out or worry."

"Mmm, so _that's_ where you get it," Kakashi mused aloud, swirling more cream into his coffee.

"Get what?"

"You do this thing where you sort of just randomly shut down. It's like a gate I can literally see slamming shut in your eyes," he replied matter-of-factly.

Sakura worried her lip, "If you think I'm going to say sorry…"

"Why would I? It's how you protect yourself." Kakashi shrugged. "I get it. Besides, I personally kind of like seeing that stubborn look in your eyes. It reminds me how hard I've got to work to get behind those steel gates."

"Why do you even try so hard? I mean, what's your end game?" Sakura suddenly bit, leaning back into the seat with a peculiar expression on her face. She hadn't meant to burst out and say that, she was more thinking it than anything; but it was already out and in the open, so she just had to stand by it.

Kakashi's smirk only grew wider with confidence, eyes gleaming that same familiarity she longed for. "Someone's gotta. And, this is no game, Sakura. This is an endeavor I wholly intend to conquer. If going two steps back means I get one step forward to you, then I'll do it."

Sakura worried her lip again, focusing her gaze on the off-white coffee cup in front of her. "I really don't understand. I'm no one special."

"Hm." In Sakura's line of sight, she watched his big hand slide across the table, his finger tapping the top of her hand wrapped around the coffee mug. She peered up to see Kakashi regarding her candidly, stout ebony eyes centered on her face. "I beg the differ."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but she could feel the tingle of blood in her cheeks. She cleared her throat, "So…does this count as a date?"

"Mmmmm…" Kakashi hummed humorously, pulling his hand away from hers to lean back into the booth. "Do you want it to be a date? Because technically, no this is not. We are here to meet Ino so you can get your key." His eyes were challenging, the dark depths dancing with sharp amusement.

"I mean…you did say that I owe you one because of last night, so I was just thinking…That maybe…you and I could…" She trailed off, trying to formulate a sentence that didn't make her come off like a fucking idiot. She wasn't used to feeling so timid around someone, and though she usually just said what she wanted, she felt nervous at the notion that there's a possibility he could shoot her down. Sakura didn't know why the thought of putting herself out there bothered her that much, but it did. She felt slightly sick, her palms a little sweatier than normal. If she was being honest, she didn't even know why the words that were coming out of her mouth were even being said. Her insecurities told her she was making a big mistake, and that she should stop while she's at it. But she was saying them, and it was too late to back out, now.

Kakashi leaned forward, running a hand through thick silver locks in a careless muss. "Sakura," he began artfully. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

For a moment, Sakura faltered. She opened her mouth to speak, snapping it shut when she couldn't think of a witty retort. She straightened, "I mean, I owe you one, right?"

Kakashi nickered, "So, are you asking me on a date out of obligation? Or is it because you want to go out on a date with _me_?"

"A date's a date, right?" She contested.

"Nope, not even close," Kakashi shook his head with a grin. "It's got to be something you want to do, after all; not something you feel like you have to do."

"I want to…" Sakura exhaled cordially, using her top teeth to nibble down on her bottom lip in anxious pulses.

"Say it, then." He prompted, leaning on his elbow with this hand on his face, pointer finger close to the corner of his eye.

"Say what?"

"I want to hear you ask me out, of course."

Sakura scowled, "Isn't that what I'm doing already?"

Kakashi clicked his tongue, "No, ma'am. You haven't actually said the words, yet. Sakura, I am a man of senses. Touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight. This moment is incredibly important to me. So it's prudent that I _hear_ you say it, I _see_ your mouth move while you're saying it to me. I want to be able to fondly think back on this moment when our children ask how we got to know each other."

"You're impossible," she scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "What do you mean our children? What makes you think I want to have kids?"

"I don't think anything," he replied smoothly. "You can do whatever you want to do. If that means you don't want kids, that's fine by me. But…it _would_ be a shame to waste our good looks by not gracing the world with our beautiful offspring."

"We haven't even gone on our first date yet, and you're already talking about kids?"

Kakashi shrugged, mimicking Sakura's pose by crossing his arms over his chest, "I already know my future involves you. So, I can't help to think about it."

"You know…some people would call you creepy for saying something like that," she teased outwardly, though on the inside her stomach leapt. Did what he say _excite her_?

"Creep. Pervert. Fool. Buffoon. Funny. Charismatic. Smart. Incredibly-handsome-and-good-looking. Financially stable. The list goes on."

From the distance the two could hear Flo's hacking as she brought a wide circular tray with their food on it. She dumped the plates on the table roughly, muttering about refilling their drinks and then not being bothered. Sakura tucked into her food quietly, much too absorbed in how good it was to carry a conversation.

"I'm waiting," Kakashi remarked before biting into jam-covered toast.

"Huh?" Sakura glanced up, mouth full of food.

"You still haven't asked me out, yet."

She rolled her eyes, "Seriously."

"Dead. Serious." He enunciated, his tongue darting out to lick off some jam on the corner of his mouth.

"Where's Ino?" She asked simply, cutting up her eggs in small bites.

"Am I a joke to you?" He egged in mock disdain.

"Fine." Sakura grunted sharply, placing her utensil down with a clatter. She looked Kakashi in the eye, swallowing her pride and lifting her chin. "Will you go out on a date with me?"

The smug grin he wore stretched into a sprightly smile, brilliantly white teeth revealing themselves while his eyes all but twinkled actual light. "Sakura, I would love nothing more than to go on a date with you."

"Great," she huffed, focusing her attention back to her food to mask the giddiness she felt.

The two finished their food, chatting casually about small stuff between the other. Sakura learned that Kakashi is an only child, he loves animals, and he has a thing for fresh produce. Right in the middle of them discussing their favorite movie, Ino's shrill shout could be heard across the diner. Ino had walked in, and following her was a small group of men. One of the she recognized right away as Kiba with Akamaru following loyally beside him. The closer they neared, the more she was able to observe each person.

Right beside Ino was a blonde-haired man with big blue eyes, and lines on his cheeks that resembled whiskers. His expression was bright and unendingly happy. He was tall, none of them as tall as Kakashi, but tall nonetheless. His build looked dense, as though he was by far stronger than what his frame let on. Next to him was a man that had jet-black hair that surrounded his head in a messy bowl, with thick black eyebrows to boot. His eyes were very wide and circular, lips in a slight cupid's curve. This man's body appeared thinner compared to the blonde man, but she noticed the way the green jumpsuit hugged the cut muscle of his arms, shoulders, torso, and legs. His muscular was different from Kakashi's, in that it resembled more than that of a MMA fighter; lean and cut. Trailing behind them was a man wearing circular sunglasses. Black hair shot in a spiky disarray. His jacket came up halfway to his face, covering the lower half. He appeared far more reserved than the others.

"Hhmmm, you brought the kids!" Kakashi sang comically.

"Some of them, at least," Ino replied, stopping at the front of the table. "What's up with you two?"

"Sakura just asked me out," Kakashi beamed casually, glancing over at Sakura who was glaring at him.

The blonde man gasped, "SHE DID?! What did you say?"

"What do you think he said, idiot?" Ino bit, shaking her head and scooting Sakura over to sit down.

"WELL?!" Blonde haired man pressed excitedly, his face moving in close to Kakashi's.

"I said I'd love to," Kakashi answered, unbothered by how close the whiskered man was.

"FFFUUUCCCKKK YYYEEESSS!" he shouted, pulling back and thrusting a fist in the air before turning to face Sakura. "You have no idea how cool this is! He's been going on and on and on and on and ooooonnnnnnnnnnnn about you for like, the past two to three months or whatever."

Sakura looked over at Kakashi who was wearing a very unashamed smirk. "It's true," he remarked.

The whiskered man continued, "I just hate that it took so long. Like, just get on with it? Anyways, my names Naruto."

"Uh…hey," Sakura waved, taken aback by Naruto's high energy.

Ino leaned in, "You get used to it. He's always this hyped. 24/7. Every day. All day."

The man in the green jumpsuit stuck out a wrapped hand, "Congrats. I'm Rock Lee. Kakashi told me that you've practiced Taijutsu?"

"Oh, he told you that, did he?" Sakura queried, expression irked when Kakashi just shrugged at her. She turned her attention back to Rock Lee. "I have, yes. But since I've moved here, I haven't."

"I have a dojo, you know," Lee remarked. "You're more than welcome to come and train with us."

"How much is it?"

Lee blinked, shaking his head. "No charge for Kakashi's wife."

"_Wife?!_" Sakura nearly shouted.

Kiba snorted, "He's been saying stuff like that since he first laid eyes on you."

"I mean, not _right away_," Kakashi laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Tch." The man with the sunglasses scoffed. "You staked your claim on her immediately like some caveman."

"Shut up, Shino."

"Hey, he's right!" Naruto exclaimed. "You said something about her being your ass."

Sakura choked on her water. "What?" She spluttered with Ino patting her on the back.

Kiba laughed haughtily, "Yep. If I remember correctly, I was calling you an ass. Kakashi said, 'she may be an ass, but she's _my_ ass.'" Kiba lowered his voice in attempts to make it sound as throaty as Kakashi's is.

"My ass is your ass?!" Sakura stated, incredulous. She didn't know whether to be offended or flattered at news of the statement. Though she thought she should probably be upset, the other part of her found it endearing and kind of cute.

"Wwweeelllll, anyways," Kakashi interjected loudly. "Ino, do you have her key?"

Ino, who had been cackling at the entire exchange, dug in her purse to pull out a silver key. "Here you go, Sakura."

"Thank you," Sakura smiled, taking the key and pocketing it. "So how do you all know each other?"

"We all work together," Ino replied, grabbing Sakura's water and taking a deep drink. Naruto was next to grab the glass, finishing off whatever Ino didn't.

"Help yourself…" Sakura muttered. "At the club? So you're all bouncers?"

"Well, sort of. We all do a lot of everything," Rock Lee stated.

"How long have you all known each other?"

Shino spoke up, "Years."

"We are family, honestly." Lee commented.

"I guess you guys are cool…" Kiba grunted, rolling his eyes but wearing a small grin.

Kakashi slapped his hands down on his lap, "Well, we've got a meeting here soon. Sakura, are you ready to go?"

Sakura nodded, "Yes. Let me just go to the restroom really quick."

Ino scooted out of the booth, letting Sakura cross to make her way to the restroom. As Sakura walked away from the table, she could hear Ino snapping at Naruto for something she didn't catch. The restroom was just up the small walkway, around a corner, and down a narrow hallway. Walking in, she was surprised at how spacious it was for the diner, with two stalls, a small love seat against the wall and a table beside it with things such as magazines and tissues on it. The color of the tiles were a muddy red, the lights casting a dull yellow glow making the restroom slightly dark.

Walking into the stall furthest away from the door, she locked it and did her business. Sitting there, she could hear the door open as someone else came in, but she was too lost in thought to really pay that much attention. She was too busy reveling over the fact that she had been a topic among Kakashi's friends for some time. She had to admit she was flattered, as he never came off as the type of man who gushed over someone.  
Then again, she never anticipated for him to openly state he saw a future with her.

Even with Sasuke, Sakura only ever hopped he'd talk about the future with them. Five years in, the words never left his lips. She'd bring it up, he'd shoot it down. After awhile she let go of that girlish dream, settling for his presence as if it would be enough. And now, there was a man who known her maybe two months and he was talking about things like kids. Granted, he was teasing, but behind those words she knew there had to be a sliver of truth. She knew this, because she'd do the same with Sasuke. She'd point at jewelry stores, joking about which rings she thought were the prettiest. All Sasuke would do is snort a response. There was even a time that Sakura had a real pregnancy scare, to which Sasuke immediately told her to "get rid of it." She obviously found out later she wasn't, but it was enough to deeply hurt her feelings and make her find a more long term birth control. Because of Sasuke, when it came to things of talk of the future, she'd just brush it off as meaningless. What shook Sakura, was that she was beginning to understand that Kakashi was a man of his word. He meant what he said, he said what he meant.  
The hard, determined glint in his eyes made her sure of that.  
She couldn't decide if this excited her or frightened her.

Once she finished up, Sakura walked out of the stall to wash her hands. Her attention was on the water running through her fingers, so she didn't notice the arm that hooked itself around her neck tightly; jerking her back away from the sink. Sakura let out a yelp when something sharp jabbed into her side not once but twice, an immediate, sharp burning sensation throbbing suddenly. Using her left leg, Sakura kicked back as hard and as quick as she could. The person behind her grunted when she hit something soft and she propelled her torso forward, breaking the arm around her neck.

Sakura whipped around, facing her attacker. The individual was wearing jeans and a black shirt, with short black hair and a hateful look in his eyes. He lunged for her, punching Sakura hard in the stomach. Breath rushed out of her lungs, causing her to double over gasping for air. Glancing up, the glint of silver in his hand told her he had a knife, and he was going straight for her again. His hand jutted out for her, tip of the blade drawing across the base of her neck in a bloodied line. Using what she learned in Taijutsu, she knocked his hand as hard as she could, causing the blade to fly out of his hand and skitter across the linoleum. Staring this man down, she could feel her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Fear and panic trembled in her being, but she did her best to remain focused. She didn't know who this man was, possibly a mugger, she didn't know. The adrenaline pulsing in her veins kept her alert, carefully watching the man.  
As afraid as she was, she wasn't going to back down without a fight. Or at least letting someone know she was being attacked.

The man charged at her, swinging for her face. Sakura deflected his hand expertly, dodging to the side and jamming her elbow into his temple three times before stepping back to land a punch to his adam's apple. The man leaned back, avoiding the hit, and jumping at her with a fist to her chest that caused her to stumble back against the sink. She opened her mouth to scream, but his hand flashed across her face, landing a slap so hard it echoed in the restroom. She gasped, eyes watering at the stinging sensation. He put the whole of his hand on her entire face, shoving her head back into the mirror repeatedly; each shove harder than the last. Pain pulsed aggressively and she could feel herself getting dizzy. With his free hand, the man had another knife at her throat. Using her forearm, she bumped his hand up. The edge of the blade ran up her neck, she lifted her chin and turned her head to the side to avoid the knife. Taking the moment, she landed several punches to the man's gut that sent him back a few feet.

Seemingly unaffected, he reeled again, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his arms; hand over her mouth. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck coming out in labored huffs when he whispered, "It's over, bitch." Sakura squirmed erratically, shifting and twisting her body as hostilely as she could to get out of his hold. She could feel his chest heave when he laughed at her efforts. "It's useless. You're as good as ours."

Sakura could feel something trickling down her neck and side, a hot liquid she could only guess was blood. She could feel her body getting drained, as hard as she fought in his hold, she couldn't seem to break away. Hot tears spilled out of the corners of her eyes, but she fought back the sob that threatened to make its way out of her body. She refused to let this man think he's won. Thinking fast, she shot her head back, feeling the tip of his nose slam into the back of her head. She did this twice with as much force as she could, wriggling out when his hold loosened only a little bit. She moved for the door, only to have a hand wrap itself in her braid and yank her back. Sakura fell to the floor, her head knocking on the ground. She tried to scream again, but the man was on top of her now, his hands wringing themselves around her neck.

The blood in her ears pulsed as fast as her heart was beating. She could feel the heat in her face, she could feel the lightness in her head as her airway was cut off. Sakura fought as much as she could. She scratched the man, she punched him, she pulled at his hands to get them off of her neck to no avail. He didn't budge, he only laughed more at her efforts. Her body writhed underneath him, legs kicking and hips jutting up in desperate efforts to knock him off of her. The edges of her vision was blackening in pulses, threatening to close the gap of vision she had more and more each time. Her movements started to become weaker as she started to fade, and the man noticed this. He pulled back one hand far past his head, bringing it down with another deafening slap across her face, "Don't die on me, bitch." The slap snapped Sakura to attention. She watched as he reached into a holster, holding out a needle for her to see. With a sickening smile, he used his teeth to pull of the cap, aiming the tip of the needle a foot above her heart. With as much energy as she could, Sakura shot her fist out straight for the man's throat; landing a solid hit.

The man sputtered, the needle clattering out of his hand as he reeled back with his hands on his throat. Sakura slid out from under him, kicking him so hard that he flung backwards. Whatever was driving her now was a pure, instinctual need for survival. This man was choking the life out of her, and she had almost given in. Even though tears were spilling, the rage she experienced became far greater. She jumped on top of the man who was still heaving for breath, coughing and gagging. With both hands clasped in a tight fist, she drove it down to the middle of his chest, driving more air out of his lungs. He heaved, digging his nails deep into the side of her face; dragging them down and then pulling back for another slap. This time, Sakura did scream. An engorged shriek that bounced off the walls of the restroom.  
She was tired of being slapped.

With newfound energy, she positioned herself over him more so that her knees were digging into his biceps and she was squeezing him as hard as she could. She jabbed him in the throat again, fisting her hand on the top of his head and laying into him with harsh, fury-driven hits. Even with all of her rage, her strength couldn't outmatch that of the man beneath her. He swung, punching her in the temple and knocking to the side some. Sakura struggled to regain her position, twisting her torso so slam her elbow into his face. He grabbed her arm and bit down hard, using his size to push her back on the floor with his hands around her neck again. He lifted her head by her neck, slamming it back down on the floor. Sakura reached out, digging her fingers into his eyes. Despite this, he squeezed her neck so tight it felt like her airway was going to collapse. What felt like hours passed as he strangled her, hissing through clenched teeth. She tried to scream for help, only to have nothing come out. She tried to gasp, but she couldn't. Her lungs felt like they were expanding to the point of exploding, the throb of her heart obscuring her hearing.

He wailed, being suddenly thrown back off of her. Sakura hadn't even noticed the bodies that had flooded the restroom. Everything became frantic to her, then. Somewhere she could hear a multitude of voices outside the restroom, along with the ones inside, too. There were people all over the place, the sound of feet scuffling and raised voices. Two hands went for Sakura's shoulders, dragging her back away from the man. Sakura screamed in response, jerking her torso further and twisting, sending her fist flying. Several hands caught her elbow, followed with multiple voices calling her name. Squatting in front of her was Ino, hands stretched out as if to catch her. She glanced around frenziedly, trying to take in what was going on. Standing in the doorway were the diners that had been eating, faces crowding the frame trying to peer in. Standing in the restroom was Naruto, Shino, Kiba, Lee, and Kakashi. Lee and Kiba had her attacker in their hold, Kiba's hand fisted in the man's hair in a tight hold that strained his head back. Shino was walking around the room, picking up what appeared to be the knife and needle. Standing directly behind her was Naruto and Kakashi, their hands holding her arm. Naruto's expression was riddled with worry, brows furrowed over concerned blue eyes. Her eyes flicked from Naruto's to Kakashi's gaze. His eyes were hardened, his face etched with a mix of worry and anger. She watched him crouch down in front of her, his free hand cupping her other arm. She watched his eyes search hers, the petrified way they scanned her face and body.

Sakura was overwhelmed.

Watching the man struggle against Kiba and Lee's hold, the fear and panic that was replaced with adrenaline crept its way back up. It bloomed in her chest with an electric jolt, her breath coming in panicked huffs. Tears spilled down her cheeks, her face stinging when the salt water flowed into the scratches there. She raised trembling hands to wipe away the tears, her head dizzy from how fast she was breathing. Shino stood beside Naruto now, leaning over and whispering in Kakashi's ear. Kakashi stiffened for a brief moment, muttering, "You three deal with him. Samurai."

Shino gave a curt nod, straightening and talking to Kiba and Lee.

"Sakura…" Kakashi titled, pulling her attention away from the man they were dragging out.

"Mmmh?" She hummed weakly, looking back at him. She felt like a coward. She wanted to appear strong and sure, she didn't want to be shaken up. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't stop the flow of tears. She couldn't stop the way her body shook, or that her heart hadn't stopped pounding frightfully in her chest.

"How are you feeling? Can you stand?" He questioned carefully.

Sakura nodded a little too quickly, shifting so she could stand on her feet. Kakashi kept his hands on her arms, guiding her up. When she straightened all the way, she hissed in pain and doubled over. Kakashi stepped in, letting her torso lean onto his chest. Behind her, she could hear Ino hiss, "_Shit,_ she's bleeding Kakashi."

"Where?" He replied in a chilled tone.

"Here," Ino whispered.

Sakura felt Kakashi's hand reach for her side, gently pulling up her shirt to expose the wounds there. There was a brief pause in time as Kakashi scrutinized the wounds, his finger tips fluttering over them and around them. "They're deep…" he remarked grimly. "You're going to need to go to a hospital, Sakura."

"Okay," Sakura replied in a bare whisper. She felt weak and useless. He would have definitely killed her had they not intervened. Sakura wished she was stronger, wished she could of done more to protect herself. She felt ashamed of herself and embarrassed. She stepped back, breaking out of Kakashi's hold. When she went to place her face in her hands, she was met with another bee-like sting from the contact. Her face was incredibly hot, pain was throbbing from her side, face, neck, and back of her head. She was smacked around like a rag doll and there was nothing she could do about it. She glanced down at her hands, balling them into fists and pressing them into her eyes. No matter how hard she tried, a sob broke its way out of her chest.

"Honey," Ino whispered, placing her hand on Sakura's back.

"Sakura," Kakashi uttered, reaching out for her. The sudden contact caused her to flinch, and she saw the faint echo of distress flicker across his face. Instead of letting go, he pulled her in graciously, being careful not to touch anywhere she had been hurt. He closed his arms around her, pressing her against his chest and humming, "You're safe, now. I won't let anything happen to you."

She glanced up, meeting his gaze and questing his face. Her body was stiff in his hold, she was afraid and unsure. His eyes never left hers, he never looked away. "I promise, you're safe," he whispered again.

Sakura's lip trembled, her entire body shook violently. She let go, letting her head fall into the nook of his neck, and sobbed.


	11. Hospital

**Hey there, kitties. Thank you for the feedback, it really makes my day, y'all have no idea! I was dancing with the idea of making this a series. After this story with Kakashi and Sakura, I'd start a new one with another set of characters from this same universe I've built. Same team, characters, place, still going after the Yakuza, but another person's perspective, story, and another instance. I was thinking the next story could be with Gaara. I have a lot of interesting ideas for him, and I really think y'all would like the real-world way I handle his character. Each story would be on the same time line, following after the events of the proceeding one. What do y'all think? Anyways, I love reviews as they keep the apple bottom jeans on my legs, and yes—even the boots with the fur. Happy reading!**

"Do you really think we should get the police involved?" Ino questioned quietly, peering around while they waited for the ambulance and police.

"Yes. The more public, the better. They might ease up off of her trail some," Kakashi answered darkly, staring down at Sakura's face.

She looked horrible.

They should have known something was up, with how long she had been in there for. They were all caught up in talking with each other, that it was only when they heard her scream that they rushed to help her. When they barged into the restroom, seeing that man on top of Sakura, choking the life out of her sent him in an immediate frenzy. He went in, grabbing her attacker by his hair and jerking him back harshly. He cocked back his arm and laid into the bastard several times before Kiba interjected, telling Kakashi to go deal with Sakura while he and Lee handled the asshole. Kakashi couldn't contain his anger, but when he caught sight of Sakura that his rage turned to one of extreme distress. Along the lower base of her neck was a ragged cut, as well as a long but faint one up her neck, too. All around her neck large finger-shaped bruises started to form; there were even small crescent moon scratches where they fucker's nails had dug in. The left side of her face had four scratches from right under her eye down to just below the corner of her mouth; the right side of her face was a scarlet red, with small red dots scattered in clusters all over her face where blood vessels had ruptured, most likely from being slapped. On her left arm, there was a wide bite mark with cut teeth indentions and bruising beginning to form. The wounds in her side were serious, as they didn't stop bleeding and Kakashi tore some of his shirt to wrap it. When he held her, he noticed that there was blood speckled along her pink hair, leading up to a deep red, wet spot on the back of her head. She cried so hard when he held her that she passed out.

Cradling her now, it took everything in him to not hand her off to Ino and fuck her attacker up. He wanted to hurt the man just as bad as he hurt Sakura—if not, more. As much as he wanted to, he knew that the rational outcome was that they were going to squeeze that man for information. There was no doubt this was an attempt from Sota; Shino finding the needle was proof enough of that. Kakashi figured they would try to get Sakura, but he hadn't expected it to be the day after. That only told Kakashi that Sota has it out for Sakura, aggressively so. As soon as Sakura's out of the hospital, they were going straight to Samurai to come up with a plan of action. There was no way they were going to let this drag out. The quicker they got rid of Sota, the sooner this would be over for Sakura. Because for Sota, this was a game now. Sakura was his prey and he was going to hunt her down. They've heard countless stories of innocent women being victims of Sota's efforts. Once he sets sights on a woman, he won't let up until she's either in his hands or dead.

"He was going to drug and kidnap her," Ino stated gloomily.

"I know."

"What do you think we should do?"

Kakashi exhaled slowly, readjusting Sakura's body so her head was better supported on his arm. "As soon as she's out of the hospital, we are taking her to the safe house with everyone there, and discussing what we should do."

"Tusunade isn't going to be happy," She remarked with a sigh.

"I don't care. This happening is no one's fault. It was all a very unfortunate string of events that have lead to this. We are just lucky that Sakura knows us, because if anyone can protect her, it's all of us." Kakashi replied curtly.

"You're not going to give us a chance to protect her," Ino laughed apprehensively, trying to ease Kakashi's tension.

"What do you mean?" His tone was stilled, so low and even it made Ino noticeably nervous.

"I mmmeeeaaaannnn, that you're going to keep her all to yourself," she gave another weak laugh.

"Mh," was all he gave her.

Kakashi knew Ino was never comfortable with him when he was angry. The team was so used to his aloof attitude that when something did affect him, it was so tangible that everyone else felt it. Not that he didn't appreciate her trying to make him feel better, nothing could until he was sure that Sakura was safe and well; that Sota was caught.

"Well, I'll go to the club to see if the guys are there. We will see you and Sakura at the hospital, okay?" she stated, leaning in to get one good look at Sakura. Kakashi nodded, but otherwise said nothing. Ino hugged Kakashi, placing a hand on Sakura's forehead before taking off.

"Kakashi."

He peered over, watching Flo amble her way up to him with a small bag in her hand. The otherwise crude woman wore an expression of disquiet, her aged eyes looking over Sakura's face. "The ambulance has been called?" She asked hoarsely.

"Yes."

"Mh. Has anything been done about those cuts all over her?" She pressed, wrinkled hands hovering over Sakura's face.

Kakashi shook his head plaintively, "She wouldn't let us touch her face."

Flo nodded knowingly, unzipping the bag she had in her hand and pulling out a small jar of a creamy thick ointment. She scooped some on her finger, holding it and waiting for an okay from Kakashi. He nodded, and she carefully lobbed some over the scratches on her face; the blood from the cuts mingling and spreading with the balm. She gathered some more, rubbing over the cuts on her neck. "Deep," Flo brayed, leaning her face in closer to examine the wounds. Watching Flo, Kakashi remembered his dad telling him about how for years and years of her life Flo was a well respected nurse, in a very high position; she was the one who trained Himari. She retired around the time he was a kid, and she'd been working at the diner ever since. Even if it made him wince when she touched the wounds, he trusted her. "She might need an X-ray for her neck, her breathing is wheezy. Any more?"

"Yes, the back of her head and on her side, she got stabbed," Kakashi ticked off bleakly.

"Let me see the back of her head first," Flo instructed. Kakashi tucked his hand under her neck as wide as he could, slowly pulling her head up so Flo could get a better look. Flo ducked down, pressing her wrinkled fingers around the patch of blood and moving hair around to get a good look at it. "It looks like her head had been slammed several times. She might have a concussion. Be sure to tell Himari that." She placed more of the ointment on the back of Sakura's head, giving Kakashi the signal to rest her head again. "Her side?" She ordered.

Kakashi pulled up the edge of Sakura's shirt, the rough patch job of his torn shirt being revealed. Flo removed the fabric gingerly, and Kakashi noted that the fabric was soaked through with blood. When she removed the cloth, a glob of blood poured out from the stab wounds, down her hip and dripping onto Kakashi's pants. "Still bleeding," she remarked, using the cloth to wipe away the blood. "They're deep, Kakashi. Be sure to let the ambulance crew know that she's still losing blood. Look at her. She's pale, that's probably why she passed out." She took some of the balm and grazed only a thin layer over the wounds, the slightest amount of pressure sending more blood to trickle out. She re-wrapped the wounds with the same cloth, pulling her shirt back down to cover it. Flo pulled off her glasses, "Do you have the guy?"

"My team does, yes." He returned sternly, meeting her expression with his own grave one.

"Good. Make sure Himari is who deals with her, and no one else."

"I'll make sure."

"Good. Make sure you stick by her until she wakes up, too. If she wakes up and you're gone, she's going to be extremely scared. She might not remember what happened, she might wake up thinking that she's still being attacked. If she sees a familiar face, it'll be easier for her to come to. You understand, don't you?" Her tone was harsh and nurturing at the same time, the kind only a woman with her experience and age could pull off. Her old ice-blue eyes bore into his seriously, and it was obvious that what she saw was bad, but years of seeing people being stabbed and she knew how to handle her expression. She pointed a finger at Kakashi, "Do not leave this girl's side. From the ambulance, to the emergency room, to wherever else. If they don't let you get by, just tell them you're her husband—you're allowed access regardless. When she's out of the hospital, monitor her for several days. Make sure you make her feel safe. I've seen it time and time again; people in these situations get night terrors. They wake up panicking. You have to be there to help her ride it out, Kakashi, or it'll cause even more emotional trauma than she'll already have from it. Do you understand?"

"I understand," he replied definitely, pulling Sakura in tighter.

In the distance, sirens could be heard.

Flo looked back towards the sound, surveying the ambulance that rushed up and skidded to a halt. She turned back to Kakashi with a nod, hobbling off back inside the diner. Two men and a woman hopped out of the ambulance in uniform, opening up the back doors and pulling out the gurney. The two men rolled it up and Kakashi moved to meet them. "She's still bleeding," Kakashi articulated to the men.

"She's passed out?" The one on the left asked, pointing a finger at Sakura. "How long has she been passed out for?"

"Thirty minutes or so," Kakashi claimed evenly.

The medical technician nodded, "Okay. She's wheezing, too."

"She was strangled," he ground out roughly.

The technician turned to his partner, "High priority. Here," he turned back to Kakashi. "Lay her down on here carefully, please."

Kakashi responded with a nod, leaning over to lay Sakura down. When she was halfway laid out on the bed, her body began to shake brutally, her entire body and muscles stiff to the point it looked like her limbs would lock. Her head tossed back in violent jerks, slamming back against the gurney so hard that small splotches of blood started to appear on the white fabric. Sakura emitted a gurgling noise, her eyes fluttering erratically, the white of her eyeballs flashing under thick lashes. "Lay her on her side!" One of the men shouted. Kakashi slid his arms out from underneath her, helping the two men roll her seizing body onto her side. One of the men adjusted her chin some, foam and saliva spilling out of her mouth. They held her there, steadying her convulsing body. "Do something?!" Kakashi barked, hands hovering over her, helpless.

"She's got to ride it out," one of the technicians replied grimly. "Just make sure she's on her side, and that she can breathe. It'll stop in two minutes."

Kakashi watched Sakura, powerless in any efforts to help her. He instead followed the other men's lead, keeping her on her side and adjusting her head to make sure she could breath. After a minute and a half, the convulsions slowed to small tremors, her limbs jerking here and there until she was deathly still. Kakashi felt his heart skip, leaning down to press his ear against her chest and blowing out a sigh of slight relief when he heard the wheeze of her breathing and her heart beating. One of the men tapped Kakashi, "Come. We have to get her to the hospital, now."

The technicians straightened Sakura, strapping her down and carrying her inside the ambulance. Kakashi jumped in, sitting down on the allotted side while everyone else in the ambulance went to work and the ambulance took off. Kakashi watched the woman tech IV Sakura, put a breathing mask over her face, and tick off some medical jargon to the other tech. "Sir, did she hit her head?" The woman asked expectantly.

Kakashi pressed his hands together, "Yeah, I think so. There's blood on the back of her head indicating some type of damage."

The woman nodded.

"She's still bleeding," Kakashi added anxiously.

"I see," she replied, holding Sakura's wrist and staring at her watch.

"Will she be okay?" He pressed, leaning back and running his hands through his hair.

The woman looked up from her watch to Kakashi, shaking her head back and forth solemnly, "Sir, that's not for me to say. We transport her to the hospital where there are very good doctors and nurses that will take care of her."

"Himari," Kakashi bit curtly.

"What?"

"When we get to the hospital, make sure it's Himari who helps us," he stated tersely.

The tech nodded, but otherwise continued her work.

Kakashi eyed Sakura in her state, biting the inside of his cheek to offset the stress that rolled off of him in waves. Seeing Sakura seize scared the living shit out of him, and he didn't know how to process it. Rage burned deep in the pit of his stomach. Her attacker had slammed her head so hard against something that it caused her to have a fucking _seizure._ He'd never seen one happen face to face before, but to see it happen to Sakura of all people…he felt sick to his stomach. He wanted to make everything alright for her, but he understood that the best plan of action was her getting help at the hospital and then talking with the team. Watching Sakura, Kakashi made a silent vow to himself: No matter the circumstance, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she was always protected.

When the ambulance arrive to the hospital, Kakashi figured that one of the techs had called Himari to give her a heads up, because the moment they walked through the doors Himari was there; walking along side the gurney, barking orders, and asking the techs questions as they moved. "She's lost a lot of blood, and she's still bleeding. Head trauma, stab wounds, she was strangled, bit, and she had a seizure before she arrived here," the female tech ticked off with rapid succession.

"Oh, _no_," Himari ground out. "We need to find out what blood type she is, because she's never been here as a patient we don't have a chart to go off of. Once you do that, get blood and water in her ASAP. We are going to clean all wounds, stop the bleeding and suture the wounds. When—ah, hey. You can't come back here," She wheeled on Kakashi, pointing a finger at him. "This is hospital employees only past this point. You are going to have to wait out here."

"I'm her husband," Kakashi retorted tensely.

"No you're not," she bit back quickly, turning to leave him behind.

"Flo said I was."

Himari froze in her steps, looking over her shoulder at him with an irritated glance. "Fine. Do well to stay out of my way."

Once everything was said and done, with some aggressive prodding from Himari to nervous nurses, Sakura was in a patient room; hooked up with blood and an IV. She had been asleep for four hours, not moving an inch during. She was so still that periodically Kakashi would stand from his seat and lean in, just listening to her breathe. Every forty-five minutes a nurse walked in, checking Sakura's vitals and asking Kakashi if he needed anything. Police had come in once, asking Himari if they could wake her up to ask her questions; to which Himari shouted them out of the room. Kakashi asked the cops for detective Kaito, who was involved with the team and their works in getting the Yakuza. Confused, the cops could only comply, saying that it might take the detective some time to get there because he was out on another case.

Several more hours passed, and all Kakashi could do was watch Sakura in between nodding off. It was around ten at night when there was a light knock on the door, followed by almost the entire team walking in. Ino, Lee, Kiba, Shino, Naruto, Choji, Shikamaru, Tenten, Temari, and even Hinata. How they all got past Himari wasn't a surprise, considering they were all trained nins. While most of them stuck to the back of the room, it was Ino, Naruto, Lee, and Shino who stood beside the hospital bed. "How's she doing?" Ino whispered.

"Well, they got her stable…When the ambulance arrived, she had a seizure," Kakashi answered quietly.

Ino gasped, the expressions of some of his teammates startled. Kakashi continued, "She lost a lot of blood because the stab wounds were bleeding constantly. She had the seizure because of the head trauma and strangulation. They're going to give her an X-Ray when she wakes up just to check on her throat and head, as her throat is so swollen from being strangled that she's wheezing when she breathes. Himari said she did have a concussion, and that she'll have to be watched for a couple of days, even after she gets discharged from here."

"Did she say anything about her work?" Ino pressed.

Kakashi leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "Yeah, I asked about that. She spoke to…Tanaka? I guess that's her boss. Tanaka is going to use Sakura's sick time and vacation to give her the next month off to recover all the way, because it will take awhile. Her body went into shock, and reacted accordingly."

"Poor Sakura…" Hinata sighed empathetically, clasping her hands together.

Kakashi jerked his chin at Kiba, "What did you two do with him?"

"We took care of him. He's being handled by Garra, Neji, and Tenten right now," Kiba answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Did you get any information out of him?"

"Not much," Shino spoke deeply. "All he told us is that Sota sent him to get Sakura and take her back to their base, but to fuck her up really good beforehand, which is why he attacked instead of just trying to drug her."

"Did he say where their base was?" Kakashi growled.

"No. He won't budge. At least, not with us. We've got Garra and Neji on him, now. If anyone can make them break, it's those two."

"What should we do about Sakura?" Naruto prompted, hands wrapping over the railing of the hospital bed. Turquoise eyes bore into Sakura, his mouth drawn down into a deep grimace. Naruto had always fought hard for the underdog, so Kakashi didn't doubt that Naruto was making his own oath to capture Sota once and for all.

Kakashi shook his head, eyeing Sakura's sleeping form before turning his attention back to Naruto. "We will talk about it at the safe house."

"But, the sooner—"

"Naruto." Kakashi snapped severely. "If they got ballsy and attacked her at a diner, during the day—then they could be around here listening."

"He's right, Naruto," Shino commented.

"If that's the case, you shouldn't be here by yourself," Shikamaru added.

Kakashi said nothing, but he knew it was true. Even in a hospital, it would be wise to have someone else there least something else should happen. Lee stepped forward, reaching over the hospital bed to hold up Sakura's hand. "Did you see her knuckles?"

"I did," Kakashi muttered. Sakura's knuckles were scrapped, and from the looks of her attacker when they snatched him off, it appeared that she had struck him more than just once. "She fought back."

"She did more than fight back," Lee remarked with pride. "You've got to be really putting your all in a punch to get your knuckles like this. I'm sure she fought tooth and nail."

"Well, she did slap Sota," Kiba noted. "I'm not surprised she fought back."

The door opened, and instead of the other nurses that had been doing their rounds, it was Himari who walked in. When she saw the crowd of bodies in the room, she leaned back into her stance, holding a finger up at them. "Uh-uh. You all need to get the hell out of here. She needs to rest. We barely got her stable and you all want to play house."

"Himari," Kiba interjected with a sigh. "We just stopped by."

"Great, now you can just leave. You can visit her in two days. The only person allowed here is Kakashi, and—"

"We need one more person, Himari." Kakashi decapitated, casting her a grave glance.

Himari paused, "Is that what Tsunade said?"

"It's what _I'm_ saying."

Her eyes hardened, "You may run shit with your team, but _here_—"

"Himari, _please._" Kakashi pleaded calmly. "She is being hunted by the ring-leader of a Yakuza sex trafficking chapter. She was attacked during the day, at a diner where tons of people were present. We need me and one other person—just to make sure she's safe."

"What are you going to do about the Yakuza asshats, hmm? I'm not about to let you put my baby in danger."

"We'll handle it," Kiba asserted.

Himari scowled, "Fine. But only ONE other of you, not ten of you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to check on Sakura." Himari huffed, pushing past the bodies in the way and making her way to Sakura's side. She checked her vitals, adjusted the IV, watched her heart rate, and got her temperature. Himari grunted something to herself, shuffling to a cabinet to grab more gauze and alcohol wipes. Kakashi watched Himari flip open the blanket, pulling the back of the hospital gown out to reveal the side with the stab wounds. She took off the gauze, cleaning up what blood was leaking out between the stitches, and covering it back up again. She lifted Sakura's arm, pulling off the bandage there and wiping an alcohol wipe over the bite wound, which caused Sakura's brow to flinch, but she still remained asleep. "Alright, well she's running a fever, probably from shock. I'm going to administer some more medicine through her IV. When I come back I better only see two of you here." With that, she bustled out.

"She was bit?" Choji sneered, glaring at the bandage covered bite mark.

"She was bit," Kakashi repeated wretchedly, fighting back the instance of wrath that threatened to burst its way out of his body. "Anyways, I'll stay here. We can do one of you staying here with me in shifts for as long as she's here. Which one of you wants to stay first?"

"I'll stay," Rock Lee volunteered.

"Fine. Ino, can you please check on the dogs while we're here?" Kakashi dug in his pocket, pulling out two keys. "Here's mine and Sakura's keys."

"I can do that," Ino nodded, taking the keys from his hands.

" I'll keep the rest of you updated. Be thinking on ways we can get to Sota as quick as possible."

The team nodded in a succession of mismatched bobs. Each person said their byes, clapping their hands on Kakashi's back. It was just Lee and Kakashi by the time everyone left. The TV in the room was on due to another nurse turning it on thinking Kakashi wanted it, but it was Lee who was watching it. He sat on the small couch by the window while Kakashi sat in a chair next to Sakura's bed. The two said nothing, and Kakashi was thankful for Lee's understanding. He needed to think about what to do for Sakura, how they were going to protect and monitor her until Sota and his goons were caught. Technically, she could go back home and someone could stay there with her. Chances are, if they knew she was at the diner, they'll know where she lives, too. The man had to of been following them from the complex to the diner, so even his apartment was out of the picture. The safe house under the club was out of the option, considering it was at Samurai that he ran into Sakura. She could stay with Ino, but Ino had roommates who wouldn't understand the situation as they didn't know about Ino's real job, besides nursing part time and being a bartender at a club part time. Not that Kakashi didn't trust any of the other guys, but it didn't sit well the idea of her sleeping at their houses, them taking care of her.  
It was _his_ job to take care of her.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him. Kakashi remembered his father's house that he owns, sitting just thirty minutes outside of Tokyo. He hadn't been to that house in years, despite it being his along with his apartment. Sota and his men will be lurking downtown Tokyo for Sakura, so she'd have a better shot on the outskirts. Kakashi could watch her, and when he couldn't then someone else from the team can. It's a job he knew detective Kaito would pay if it meant getting Sota, so Kakashi knew the team wouldn't have a problem. She'll stay until Sota is caught, and then she should be fine to go back to her apartment, as even though Sota and his men work for the Yakuza, they were just that; grunts working for the Yakuza. There's not a chance that Sota told them about Sakura, as the Yakuza crime lord didn't like bullshitting and was known for offing men who didn't take the job tasked to them seriously. Kakashi didn't know how Sakura would take it, but he figured once everything was explained to her, she'd concede.

The next day rolled along, and time seemed to drag for Kakashi. Between the few words him and Lee would share, to the nurses coming in, and falling asleep; Kakashi was hoping Sakura would wake up any moment. He wanted to hear her say something, anything, just to make sure she's okay. Despite the nurses saying she's stable, he wanted to hear Sakura say it for herself. By the time it was afternoon, Shino had shown up to take Lee's place. "You know," Lee remarked. "Maybe you should take a shower and eat something?"

"I'm not leaving," Kakashi cut quickly.

"You don't have to leave," Lee continued. "There's a shower here in the room. Just shower, I know they have sweats and stuff here."

"No."

"Kakashi." Lee titled. "You've still got her blood on your pants."

Kakashi rolled his head around in an agitated manner, realizing Lee was right. Even with the nodding off, he was exhausted. He figured maybe a quick shower would wake him up. "Alright," he sighed. "You're right."

Lee gave a curt nod, "Good. Shino, make sure he showers. Let me know if you need anything else. Bye."

When the next nurse walked in, Kakashi asked for sweats to which she happily supplied, along with some scratchy white towels. Kakashi told Shino to drag him out of the shower if Sakura wakes up. He went in and showered as quickly as he could, scrubbing his face as though it'd scrub away the stress. Being alone in the shower, he couldn't help the panic and distress that made its way into his brain. The way Sakura looked now shattered his heart into pieces. All the cuts, scratches, wounds, and that damned bite mark…it was too much to handle. He shuddered at the thought of what happened if they didn't hear her scream. Her attacker would of drug her away, where she would have been tortured more. They would have pushed her to the brink of death, drugged her past the point of consciousness, and take advantage of her body in the most brutal ways.  
There was no way in hell he was going to let that happen.

Exiting the shower, Shino had a small table pulled up with food on it. He pointed at a box of rice deftly, not looking up from his own box of food. Kakashi muttered a quiet thank you, grabbing a fork and taking small bites. Somehow, he felt guilty eating while Sakura was in her condition.

"Kaito stopped by," Shino commented, shoving a forkful of chicken and rice into his mouth.

"What did he say?"

"He brought us this food. I told him what happened, who was the target, and that we have a plan in motion. He agreed, offering pay for the job which I'm sure you knew he would. He asked where Sakura's attacker was, I told him."

"You told him?" Kakashi broke angrily. He had hoped to reach the rat bastard before they handed him off to Kaito.

Shino continued, unfazed by Kakashi's outburst. Of the whole team, it was Shino and Kiba who were truly witness to his display of emotion. "Yes. Gaara was able to get the location of the base Sota is operating out of, so we didn't need him anymore. He's in the hands of the law, Kakashi. Besides, had he stayed any longer and you left—you would have tried to kill him out of anger. Not that that man doesn't deserve to die, but remember we only kill out of necessity. I'm not saying you would have felt guilty about it, because I wouldn't, but that's not something you want on your hands, really. Plus, I've thought every way we could try justifying killing him to Kaito, there is none that makes sense that Kaito would fall for. If Kaito found out that we killed the man, we'd be out of the detective's good graces and back to being vigilante mercenaries chased by the cops again."

Of everyone out of the team, Shino was the one who always made sense. He thought logically, rationally, and reasonably. He was a tactician, always thinking ahead.  
Kakashi hated how right the man was.

The two ate in silence after that, saying nothing while the beep of the medical machines ticked off steadily. By this time, Kakashi had gotten so used to the routine. Nurses came in, checked on Sakura, and left. Staying at the hospital so long reminded him why he hated lingering in hospitals to begin with. It only ever gave him flashbacks of being beside his dying father, and now he was beside a very wounded Sakura.

It was midnight when Shikamaru came to replace Shino. The two exchanged short expressions, Shino leaving quietly while Shika took his place on the couch, lying down with his arms behind his head. "It's been almost three days," Shika noted. "Is she in a coma?"

"No," Kakashi replied coolly, staring down at Sakura's sleeping form. "she's not. Himari had said something about Sakura's body being in such a state of shock that this is one of the after effects. She said that Sakura is waking up, but it's so brief and small that she's out the very next second."

"Are they going to do anything if she sleeps too long?"

"I don't know," Kakashi sighed heavily. "I haven't asked. Himari is worried about her eating; she's got to be starving. But they said with how rough she was strangled, she might have to stick to a liquid diet for a week or so."

"That sounds miserable," Shikamaru sighed.

"It is."

"You know, we'll get him. We know where the base is. As soon as we can formulate a plan, we will get him."

"I know we will," Kakashi acknowledged obscurely.

"We'll fuck him up real good before we send him off to the detective, too," Shika added in a cold tone.

"I'll hold you to it," Kakashi returned, standing up and walking past Shikamaru to go use the restroom.

From outside of the restroom, Kakashi heard Shikamaru's panicked shouting. "Hey, hey! HEY! Kakashi get out here! Hey! Someone get a nurse! NURSE!"

Kakashi bolted out of the room. One of the machines was beeping a loud, unending beep while the other beeped rapidly, indicating Sakura's increasing heart rate. Shikamaru was standing beside Sakura's bed, hands splayed out in a confused manner. On the bed, Kakashi could see Sakura's body shaking. He bolted over to the other side. "Call a nurse!" he ordered, Shika taking off in an instant and yelling down the hall. Kakashi noticed Sakura's body was convulsing as hard as it was when she first seized, moving her to her side and lifting her chin like he saw the medical tech do. Himari rushed into the room with Shikamaru close behind her, standing on the other side of the bed. Auburn eyebrows narrowed together in concentration, and she adjusted Sakura's body; holding her head lightly with her hands while Sakura convulsed. More foam came out of her mouth, this time yellowed like bile. Her eyes fluttered the way they had last time, and Kakashi's heart ruptured all over again. He hated feeling helpless, but he kept his hand firm underneath her chin so it didn't tuck and block her airway.

"Keep doing that," Himari commanded tensely, adjusting her stance some.

Just as before, the seizing came to a dull stop; her body responding in dulled twitches and jerks. Her breathing was labored this time around, her once stiffened limbs weak and slack. Kakashi stepped back, allowing Himari to take over and handle Sakura. Shikamaru was in the back of the room, his expression dumbfounded. It was the same helpless expression that Kakashi was sure he was wearing. Thirty minutes passed and Himari was finally done, muttering the words "Grand Mal" and getting the X-Ray first thing in the morning despite Sakura being awake or not. When she left the room, Kakashi turned to Shikamaru, "I need some space."

"I'll be down the hall," Shinkamaru nodded immediately, exiting the room; leaving just Kakashi and Sakura.

Kakashi paced in the room, mussing his hands in his hair as he did. He paused beside her bed, crumbling in the chair, rubbing his face tierdly with his hands. He felt anguished, and he began to worry that Sakura's condition was only going to get worse, just as his father's had. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her, when he was just starting to have her. He lolled his head back against the wall, eyes closed tightly. "Sakura…you've got to get better…You owe me a date," he let out, feeling a hot tear stream down his face. He wiped it away, sucking in a deep breath and blowing out slowly. He bounced his leg, struggling to keep the distress at bay. He began talking to her, hoping it would ease the mounting despair he felt anchored to his chest. "Sakura, you want to know why I hate hospitals? They reek of death. Honestly, I don't know how you work here. I mean, I get it: you're helping people and saving lives. But for me, being in a hospital only reminds me of losing someone dear to me. It was a lot like this, you know. He got attacked, so injured to the point of death. He was out for days—nothing could wake him up. By day five, he woke up for exactly thirty minutes. Just enough time to tell me that he loved me, and he was proud of me. To carry on the family name, and do right, be honorable, and have integrity...He died right after he said those words to me. He let out his last breath. I watched the light leave his eyes. Being here now, with you…I can't help but feel that same anxiety I felt being beside him. What's worse, I can't see your eyes. I can't do anything to help you. I have to sit here and watch, just like I had to sit and watch with him. I feel useless."

He waited, hoping she'd stir or give him a response. The heart monitor beeped and her breath came out in shallow, wheezy huffs. She remained unmoving.

Kakashi closed his eyes again. "You know, I don't know why I feel so strongly about you in such a short amount of time. I'm a man that likes to pace myself, with all things. But you arrive, and I'm swept up like I've known you all my life. It's so wild, but it's a ride I'm going to hold onto and never get off of if it means you're in the seat next to me…I need you to wake up, so I can take you home and I can take care of you. I'll give you ice cream, I'll put on your soap operas you watch late at night. I'll protect you, Sakura. I'll make sure no one puts their hands on you again." He leaned forward, lightly grasping Sakura's small hand in his, frowning at the heart monitor clamped over her finger.

Kakashi waited. The light beeping of the machine lulled his exhausted body, worn down by the onslaught of going-ons and emotions. He tipped his head onto the bed railing, lulling off to sleep.

It was the light pressure he felt on his hand that woke him up.

He picked up his head, eyes cracking open to see heavy-lidded emerald ones looking back at him. Kakashi jolted up, blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He watched her eyes follow him acutely, and he knew she was aware. "Sakura…" he began, leaning closer to her. He watched her eyes flick to his hand that encompassed hers before meeting his again. She smiled weakly, "Kakashi." Even though he wanted to leap with joy, the sound of her voice only furthered to devastate him more. Her typical honeyed voice was just above a whisper, gravelly and pained.

Kakashi's brow furrowed, "How are you feeling?"

"I've had better days," she croaked. "How long have I been out for?"

"Almost four days."

She frowned. "What happened?"

Kakashi grimaced, "Nothing good, Sakura. Because of the head trauma, you had a couple seizures."

Her eyes grew wide, her free hand weakly reaching up to touch her face with a wince. "How long will I have to be in here for?"

"Well, they want to run X-Rays on you, just to check out your head and throat. I guess once they've decided you're fine, they'll let you go. But, I'm just letting you know ahead of time, you're going to have to be monitored—and I'm going to do it."

"But, what about work?" She questioned worriedly.

"Himari said something about Tanaka using your sick days and vacation to give you a month off."

"A month off?" She mimicked tiredly. "I can't afford to be off for a whole month."

"It's paid time off, Sakura. You'll be fine," Kakashi assured.

She nodded slowly, smacking her lips thickly. "Can I have some water, please?"

"Of course," Kakashi replied, letting go of her hand to grab his water bottle, handing it to her with the cap unscrewed. Sakura placed the rim of the bottle to her lips, tipping it back to take a short sip. When she went to swallow, she choked and sputtered, coughing up water all over herself and the bed.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi scrambled, grabbing the water bottle and wiping the spilled water off of her face.

Sakura shook her head, her hand hovering over her throat. "It hurts too bad."

Kakashi mugged, silver eyebrows pulling together tightly, "I'm sorry, Sakura. I'll go get Himari, she needs to know you're awake."

He went to stand, stopped by Sakura's, "Wait, please."

"Do you need something? What's wrong?"

Her brows knit, "You said that you'd take care of me?"

Kakashi sat back down, "Yes, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Sakura stared down at her hands, pausing briefly. "I heard you, you know."

"Heard what?"

"You were talking to me…telling me about your dad, I'm guessing? I wasn't awake all the way, I couldn't respond to you because I just felt like I was swimming in a sea of black sand, but…I heard you."

"If you think I'm going to say sorry…" Kakashi stated, repeating what Sakura had said at the diner.

"No," Sakura shook her head very slowly, flinching at the pain. "I'm sorry about your dad. That must have been really hard to deal with."

Kakashi shrugged, "It was, Sakura. Just as hard as it is seeing you like this…it's tearing me apart, I'll be honest."

Sakura pressed her lips into a thin line, "I'm sor—"

Kakashi held up his hand, "You have nothing to apologize for."

She stopped, letting out a soft sigh. "So, when they discharge me…I just go home? And you stay with me?"

"It's a little more complicated than that. There's a lot that I need to explain to you, but I can't do that here. All I can say is that I have a house that we'll be staying in, until you're better and until we catch the guy that did this to you."

"He got away?!" She exclaimed raspily, eyes widening in fear. Kakashi watched the way her hands began to shake, chest heaving in small terrified piques. The reaction was so instant that it nearly took him by surprise.

Kakashi reached out, wrapping his fingers around her hand and brushing his thumb over hers in a soothing manner. "No, he didn't get away. We got the guy that attacked you in the diner. But, there's a man who sent him to get you, and that's who we need to take down."

She froze. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi sighed, "I really don't want to explain this here Sakura."

"Kakashi, I need to know," her voice was tense with fear. "I won't be able to sleep otherwise."

Kakashi deliberated. "Here," he leaned in more to her, speaking in a hushed voice so that if someone was listening, they couldn't hear. "I need to explain what the team and I do, first."

"You're bouncers at the club, aren't you?"

"That's just a cover up. We bounce at the club, but we are actually apart of a very, very old ninja-trained mercenary organization. It's over 400 years old, it used to be called Ancient of Days, but now we get called Samurai because of the club. Our organization, along with doing your typical mercenary work, has had a spear head after the Yakuza since the gang was born. We used to be considered vigilante by the police, until a group of detectives saw us for what we were and collaborated with us. We now work hand in hand with these detectives, taking down the Yakuza and other crime-related groups or people. We turn them into the detectives when we capture them." Kakashi explained.

Sakura blinked, "You know, I read something about your group and the Yakuza, years ago when I was studying crime in Tokyo. I thought that they weren't as active now as they were in the day. Your group is like…hardcore trained, right? Like you are all no-shit ninjas?"

Kakashi managed to grin, "I suppose so, yeah. Recently, we've been after this sex-trafficking sub-chapter of the Yakuza. Their leader is a man named Sota. That night you went partying with Ino, we also had a stake out ready to capture Sota because we knew he was coming to our club to scout out women. He's sick, Sakura. They drug women, beat them, rape them, and sell them off. Sota likes to hunt women down in bars and clubs and talk them out of the club. When you came into our club, we thought you were safe because his men were making rounds on the streets of Tokyo. But, you took off out the back door and you got bumped into him. He saw you, said something to you, and you slapped the shit out of him." Kakashi hated that he had to go into detail about the man, but he knew if she was aware of just who they were up against, she wouldn't contest to being monitored. He didn't want to frighten her; he just wanted to make sure that she knew full and well. It was never in him to hide anything from people anyways; he had always told the whole truth, and everything that came with it.

"_That's_ who I slapped?" Sakura gawked.

"Yes. Sota is a petty man and he takes pride in hunting women down. He's got a target on your back now, and we intend to protect you from him. All of us, the whole team. You're going to stay with me at my house; it's thirty minutes outside of Tokyo, until we capture him. Once we've got him and his men, you're good to go home…but, that's why you got attacked the other day. He had sent one of his men after you."

"I…I can't believe…" she sniffed, closing her eyes and squeezing a tear out. "I'm so sorry," she wept hoarsely. "I don't mean to cause all this trouble, I—"

Kakashi moved in closer, leaning over the slight railing of the bed. "Hey. It's okay, Sakura. It's not your fault, you didn't do anything. We were already after this guy, anyways. He just happened to set his sights on you and you did what you know how to do and that's protect yourself. My team and I will stop at nothing to make sure you're safe." He lifted his free hand to swipe away a stray tear. "I mean it, Sakura. We will all work hard to protect you. _I_ will work hard to protect you and take care of you."

Sakura hung her head, "I don't need you taking care of me, Kakashi. I can take care of myself."

Kakashi shook his head curtly, "Nope, not this time, sorry. That independent woman card won't work for this. You are seriously injured. Himari was saying it can take a whole month for you to heal—you were strangled beyond what anyone else would have survived. Two stab wounds, a no shit gash on the back of your head—not to mention the seizures. A very dangerous man is after you. I'm not trying to scare you. I just need you to understand that you are in a position where you _need_ help, and I am here to take care of it."

"I _don't_ need your help," She hissed defiantly, almost desperately; her head still hung and eyes closed.

"Sakura, why are you fighting me on this?" Kakashi inquired lightly.

Sakura bit down on her lip hard, squeezing her eyes shut so tight that her brows drew in even deeper. She shook her head back and forth, raising her hands to fist them against her closed eyes. The corner of her lip turned down in a tremble and her breathing became heavy with the effort she was making to control it.

"I need you to talk to me," he continued gently.

She shook her head up until the point she let out a small yelp because of the pain. Her fists fell from her eyes to her lap, revealing the streams of tears on her cheeks. The breath she had worked so hard to steady blew out raggedly, followed by a hard sob. She curled over, shoulders heaving with each cry. At once, Kakashi hiked his leg over the side of the bed, sliding into the small space between Sakura and the railing. He wiggled in as gently as he could, letting his long legs rest themselves against Sakura's. He wrapped his left arm around her, his right coming around the front so his hands locked her in a light hold. With Sakura in his arms, he could feel the quaking of her whole figure, not just from the sobs but from the fear, too. Each sob Sakura let out was raspy, broken, and full of a suffering so deep that it resonated within him; shattering his heart all over again. Kakashi held her there, whispering soft promises of her safety as she wept. She cried about how weak she was, about how she couldn't protect herself. She let out that she almost died, and that she would of too if Kakashi and the team hadn't shown up. Sakura went into every detail of the encounter, beginning to end as if she felt the need to explain herself. She lamented about how weak she felt, about how she was better off dying if she couldn't even take care of herself. Kakashi remained silent until she finished, tucking away his rising rage for another time.

Kakashi leaned into her, pressing his mouth against her temple in a tender scold. "I never want to hear you say you're better off dead. You deserve a life full of happiness and treasures. Here, look—" he lifted her hand to Sakura's eye level. "Do you see these? Look at your knuckles. You fought back with _everything_ you had. You did protect yourself Sakura. That was just once instance where he happened to have the upper hand at the last minute, but you would have fought your way out. When we came in, he was _fucked up._ I'm guessing you weren't paying attention to his face. His nose was broken and bleeding, his left eye was swollen completely shut, his lip was busted, his face was covered in blood, and you had scratched him so badly all over his face that he's going to have scars because of your strength. Had anyone else been in your situation, they would have been down for the count when they got _stabbed_ not once, but _two times._ This man was fighting you with everything he had in him because you are—and I've told you this before—_incredibly strong._ I've never met anyone as strong as you. Ever."

"I don't feel strong…" she muttered and sniffed. "Strong people don't cry. Someone strong would be…"

"Would be what? Unaffected? That's where you've got it mixed up, Sakura, and I'm honestly surprised you've got the notion otherwise. Strong people cry all the time. I think it takes strength to express how you feel. I would be worried if you came out of a traumatic experience seemingly unbothered. What you're feeling now is normal to feel—your body went through _shock_ for how badly you were attacked, for Christ's sake. You're allowed to feel what you feel, and you're allowed to express it."

"I just don't want…I have a hard time…" She stopped, picking at her thumb with her fingers.

Kakashi waited, watching her face as she went about formulating what she was feeling. He was beginning to fully understand her complexity; Sakura was not just one way. She was a woman who wore multiple faces, all of which rotated and spoke on her behalf considering the situation. It was a defense mechanism she had built to protect herself, and he couldn't blame her. Sitting beside her in the hospital bed, being able to hold her and comfort her was another tender moment he wasn't going to take for granted. It was just another wall he had barely managed to climb over, and even so he felt like he was teetering on the edge. She was letting him in only just a little; however he only had pure hatred for the circumstance from which it was born.

"It's just…I express something other than happiness or anger, and I feel as though it'll get turned back on me. Or I'll be weak." She finally articulated, staring straight ahead.

Kakashi gave a small bob of his head, peering up at the ceiling in thought. "You know, my dad told me something once when I was a kid, and it really stuck with me. Hell, it shaped my entire personality if we're being honest."

"What'd he say?" Sakura crowed, wiggling her shoulders subtly to break out of Kakashi's hold.

He released his arms from around her, letting them settle in his lap. He wasn't offended at the gesture, he figured she felt vulnerable enough, and she had let him do a lot as it was when it came to comfort. Her needing space was understandable, and him giving it to her freely without protest was the assurance she needed that she was truly safe. "I was about…eleven or twelve, I think. There was this kid, I can't remember his name for the life of me but I remember him being the coolest kid in the neighborhood. Everyone wanted to be his friend; all the other boys mimicked whatever he did. He happened to also be really good at literally everything he tried. Soccer, math, games—that kid had some major mojo. I had always been…the outcast? By that I mean, I was always to myself for the most part. I'd read cooking books, I'd go fishing, so on and so forth. Anyways, when I was younger I also wore a mask over the bottom half of my face, since I was five. My father really never questioned it, he was all about expression and I suppose he just figured it came with the package. That mask always stayed on, the only time I ever took it off was for a shower, or I'd pull it down to take a bite of my food as quick as possible. No one ever saw my face without it, besides my father. I suppose I wore it to protect myself…now that I think about it…Well, a school dance came up, and I had a crush on this girl named Yua. I asked her out and, to my surprise, she said yes. The day of the dance comes, my dad went out of his way to buy me a really nice maroon velvet suit, the suit pants were bell bottoms, along with a matching hat that had a feather sticking out of it—I had an affinity with seventies at that time, so just bear with me. I felt so fucking badass in that suit, I was strutting down the hall for my dad, giving him the finger guns and grooving to 'Stayin' Alive' that my dad played. Well, we're groovin, my dad makes a remark about how much better I'd look if I took off the mask. He said it didn't match the suit, and that it put a damper on the whole vibe. At first, I said hell to the naw…but he had a way of convincing me otherwise. So, I took it off-off for the first time in eight years. I felt extremely exposed, vulnerable, and naked. Still, he went on and on about how sharp I looked that I couldn't help but feel like a confident badass after awhile."

"He drives me up; a lot of the other kids were already there so it was pretty packed. I step out, I'm feelin' myself, I walked with so much swagger that it had the potential to knock up every teacher in my vicinity. I was so caught up in how good I felt, that I failed to notice that everyone was staring at me like I'd sprouted a second head. After some searching, I found Yua with a group of kids, along with that really popular guy I was telling you about. I remember my dad telling me that corsages were boring—a single rose is where it's at when it comes to winning over a woman's heart. I held out the rose he bought for me to give it to her, saying something along the lines of, 'Shall we dance?'"

"So smooth, so funky-fresh," Sakura giggled.

Kakashi winked, secretly delighted in her small smile. "You don't have to tell me twice, Sakura. So, I'm holding out this rose for her, but she's just staring at me. They all were. At that time, popular-boy tosses his head back and laughs so loud that I swear to fucking god his jaw unhinged. He asks me whose grandpa did I get the suit from, slaps the rose out of my hand, and then points out the mole on my face—he called it a wart, I said beauty mark. Then, they all start just picking on me. Saying I've always been weird, no wonder I wear a mask—so on and so forth. Well, as you can imagine, I was pretty fucking mortified. They laughed me out of the place. I took off and instead of calling my dad to pick me up, I walked home; in the rain, I might add. Get home, my dad asks me what happened. I told him, and then just sulked off to my room. I felt stupid, I felt ugly, and I felt like a loser. I was mad that I had exposed myself, I kept thinking, 'I should have known.' My dad comes into my room, sits down next to me. He goes, 'Son, you're an individual. You like what you like, you are who you are, and you feel what you feel. No one is allowed to take that away from you.' I followed with the 'yeah, but' and he clears his throat, telling me: 'Son. Those who mind don't matter, those who matter don't mind.' It took a couple days to process it, but once it clicked—that was it for me. It just made sense. I burned the mask and stopped apologizing for being and doing what was only natural to me….So, I guess what I'm saying to you Sakura is that, those who mind don't matter, and—"

"Those who matter don't mind…" she finished soundlessly. The two sat in contemplative silence for several minutes; one made no move for the other, they simply sat there next to each other and breathed. Kakashi knew what was going to come from Sakura's attack, he was braced for it. Flo had told him she'd have night terrors, but he knew it was deeper than that. He'd rescued enough victims to be witness to the aftershock of attack. He made a mental note to be careful with her, to make sure to understand if she reacts wildly. He only hoped that she would be as understanding and as forgiving to herself.

Not ten minutes later, Himari walked in with Shikamaru behind her. When the pair caught sight of Sakura's open eyes, Shika gaped a little while Himari rushed over as quick as her small feet could take her. "You have no idea how happy I am to see those big green eyes," Himari sighed, shaking her head back and forth. "How are you feeling?"

Sakura grimaced, "I'm okay."

Himari glowered, "Now is not the time to be tough, baybay. I need you to be honest about what you're feeling and exactly where."

Sakura deflated sheepishly, "Well…my throat hurts extremely. Along with my head, face, neck, hands, and side."

"Pain scale?"

"Throat: eight. Head: six. Neck: eight. Hands: four. Face: seven. Side: eight." Sakura ticked off hoarsely, in a tone indicating a conversation she'd be having with a patient.

Himari's mouth pulled down in a deep frown, "Okay. Anything else?"

"I feel really woozy, dizzy, and dehydrated. I also feel really weak, physically."

"Alright. We'll administer something for the pain, but it's only going to be a Tylenol. We can't give you any more drip, not until we get those X-Rays, which I'm going to schedule here in a couple hours now that you're awake. Your body went through a great deal of shock. You had a concussion. You suffered from two Grand Mal seizures. That takes a toll on your body, as you already know. When we finish with the X-Ray, we'll decide what we need to do and when you can be let go. Tanaka is going to give you a month off—paid time. It is using your sick and vacation days, but that's what it's going to take to make sure you heal properly." Himari asserted professionally, adjusting the IV.

"I understand," Sakura bobbed. "How deep were the stab wounds?"

"He stabbed you to the hilt, Sakura. It's several inches, but you got lucky it missed any vital organs. Twice."

"What about my throat? My voice?"

Himari slowed, removing her gaze from the IV bag to Sakura in careful regard. "We won't know until we get an X-Ray. By the looks on the outside, there could be potential permanent damage. Your throat was nearly crushed. The bruises will fade, but as for the cut along the lower base of your neck and the other one running up it; those will scar, baby. Your face isn't so bad. The right side, those ruptured blood vessels will go away after about a week—along with the bruise. As for the scratches on the other side…I can't guarantee they'll scar or not. He dug his nails in really deep, and by the looks of it he dragged them down as hard as he could. When you're released, just keep tending to them and taking care of them as best as possible to assure they don't scar. The back of your head should be fine after some time, too. All the injuries you took are severe, Sakura. Be sure to remember that."

Sakura became still, eyes blinking slowly. She appeared as though she had just been punched in the stomach. "And my voice…?"

Himari gave a short jerk of her head, "We won't know anything until we look at the X-Ray, honey. You know that."

"But, I mean…what do you think? Do you think it'll be fine? That it'll go back to normal?" Her voice hitched, her questions pressed and worried.

"I think…" Himari began, "…that you need to stop talking. You need to take as much care of your throat as possible. I'll go get the Tylenol, and some more water for you; along with a new IV bag as well. It's important you stay hydrated. How's your stomach feeling? Are you hungry at all?"

"N-no…not really. I feel sick to my stomach, honestly."

"Okay…well you're going to have to try to eat something at some point. You've been out for four days. Aside from everything else, it's no wonder you feel weak." She paused, eye-balling Kakashi skeptically. "He's not getting fresh with you, is he?"

Sakura flinched back, "Uh…no. I was just…upset, so…"

"If anything, _she_ tried to get fresh with _me,_" Kakashi teased, jutting a thumb at his chest, trying to digress Sakura's tension.

Himari's eyebrows shot up, "Excuse me?"

Sakura turned her head to look at Kakashi, "Don't you even…" she warned.

"Oh, _yeah._ She became the Amazonian Huntress of Sexual Assault and I was her weak, helpless slave. She manhandled me, Himari, she actual—"

Sakura clapped a hand over Kakashi's mouth, glaring promises at him of death. Himari grunted, shaking her head and dismissing them with a wave when she exited the room. Kakashi remained leaned back in his position, not removing Sakura's hand from his face. He simply peeked over at her impishly, waiting for her to say something.

"Amazonian Huntress of Sexual Assault?" Shikamaru repeated thoughtfully, plopping down on the small couch.

Sakura motioned at Shikamaru with a nervous smile, "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," Kakashi remarked in a muffle behind her hand.

She turned her attention back to Kakashi. "You said you wouldn't say anything?!" She hissed acidly.

Shikamaru's eyes darted between the two, slightly amused.

Kakashi shrugged, "I just wanted to clear the air that between us I'm not the one getting fresh with the other. It's you." His voice was still muffled. Sakura glared at him angrily until Kakashi jut out his tongue, licking the whole of her palm. With a disgusted grimace she pulled her hand back, wiping it frivolously on his shoulder. "You're _impossible_," she groaned with a heavy roll of her eyes, though he thought he saw the smallest smirk tug at her mouth.

"I hear that a lot…" he chimed casually.

Despite the weight of the situation they were in, Kakashi was glad to bring the intensity down, if only just for a little. Anything to make her feel normal and safe in an otherwise abnormal circumstance. Despite the bruises, the eventual scars, and the emotional trauma to follow…it was a brief moment he could offer her to make it go away, no matter how stupid or silly. He told himself he would make note to make sure these small moments happened as often as possible.


	12. News

A couple hours after Himari had seen Sakura, several nurses arrived to escort her to get the X-Rays done. Granted, she had to be wheeled there which only served to humiliate her, but she understood it's a precaution the hospital was taking so the stab wounds would heal nicely and not tear open. By the time she came back from the testing, Kakashi was waiting in the room along with a hauntingly beautiful woman who bore pearl colored eyes and sapphire black hair. The woman's face was subtly rounded at the cheeks, coming down to a soft point on her chin. She lifted a hand mousily, giving Sakura an acute, breathy, "Hello, Sakura. My name's Hinata."

Sakura smiled weakly, "Hi."

Kakashi, who was facing out the window when she came in, stood at the end of the bed after the nurses settled her back in. "How did it go?" He questioned, eyebrows drawn in concern.

"Standard procedure," Sakura waved dismissively.

"Did they say how long it would take for them to get the results?"

Sakura sighed in a long, tired exhale, "It can take several hours, sometimes."

She felt defeated.

Not only had she taken a beating, but it was by a man who was sent by an incredibly dangerous man, _that Sakura slapped at the club._ If she were being honest with herself, the shock of what Kakashi had divulged in her hadn't worn away. She was struggling to process the information. One, finding out that Kakashi and his friends—teammates, rather—are apart of some old-as-fuck ninja mercenary organization that targets corrupt gangs, crime lords, politicians, and the like. After hearing that, it all clicked for her. It was no wonder they all happened to be in tip-top shape; save for Choji, but his size just added to his brute strength she didn't doubt he wielded. Even _Ino_, with who she had become a really great friend with. What she had thought they were, was merely a disguise for what they really did.

How did she happen to get involved with two people from the same group?  
How was she even in this situation to begin with?

Two, finding out that Sakura going to the club was not just a way to get out, but that it was apart of Ino's plan to keep her safe from Sota and his men scouring the streets. For that, Sakura was grateful—she would of no doubt been somewhere in Tokyo until midnight exploring like she has been doing. Even still, she felt sick to her stomach that because of a simple slap, a man who happens to target women and sell them to the sex trade, is now hunting her down. Because of that, she's now in the hands of the very same ninja mercenary group who swore to protect her. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, she didn't want to believe this was something that was happening to her. Just last week, she was at the food market, feeling up bananas and sniffing the fresh herbs. Now? She lies in a hospital bed; stabbed, beat, strangled, slapped, and bit. Now? She had to be under constant watch, according to Kakashi and Shikamaru; that is, until they can take down Sota. Not to mention, Sakura is worried that Himari is going to give her orders that after care will last a month, considering the two Grand Mal seizures.  
She knew how it went.

There was no doubt Himari, along with the other nurses and doctors, were worried that she was going to have another one. Sakura was worried, too. Worried, because she'd be on strict watch at the hospital for several more days until they deemed her in the clear. Worried, because she knew what Grand Mal seizures could do, she knew if there was a succession of them that the patient shouldn't do anything by themselves for a week or two. That meant cooking, showering—hell, even taking a shit would be something that someone else would have to sit in on (close by, but regardless). She was worried about her throat; she knew she was going to have to stick to a liquid diet for some time. She was worried about someone having to help her shower, if it came to that. She worried what sleep would be like—would she be able to sleep alone? Sakura remembers a patient who suffered often from these same type of seizures, and Sakura had instructed the patient to have someone else sleeping in the same bed with them so if they did happen to go into another one; the other person would feel the convulsions and wake up.  
Between being hunted by some sick bastard, having to be protected by a whole team, AND having someone monitor her after the hospital for up to a month; Sakura was overwhelmed.

What's worse, is she was worried about the burden she's now caused everyone else.

Had she not slapped that man, then none of this would be happening right now. She could of just walked away from him, and let it be. Albeit, Sakura was drunk so she doesn't remember slapping the man, but she still cursed herself internally for her shitty alcohol tolerance and lack of control. She wanted so deeply to wake up and be out of this situation altogether. She wanted to be in bed with Rock snuggled up next to her; Chonk sleeping at her feet. She wanted to wake up to coffee and TV dramas. She wanted to wake up and get ready for a normal day at work.  
Now, all of that has changed.

Sakura didn't know what to expect. Kakashi told her that she'd stay at his house, which was his dad's house that he inherited. He told her that he'd take care of her and protect her; and though Sakura knew that Kakashi very well would, she couldn't help the twisting sense of guilt she felt in the pit of her stomach. If that wasn't enough, Sakura stressed over the after effects. She knew what being violently attacked does to a patient, and though she'd only broke down a couple times; she was stressing about going somewhere outside of the hospital. Being exposed to another attack, the very notion screamed in frightened echoes in her head. Just the thought of getting up and taking Rock potty sent her in a panic; a sheen of sweat would break out on her forehead, her hands would tremble slightly, and she'd feel hot tears pooling in her eyes. This response only fueled her disdain. Even though Kakashi had told her she was strong, she didn't feel that way.  
She felt weak.  
She felt useless.  
She felt like a burden.

She wanted nothing more than to be able to handle this on her own; but she knew better. Sakura had a firsthand account on how badly she was strangled, and what that lack of oxygen does to the brain. Combine that with the several times her attacker repeatedly slammed her head against something; it wasn't a surprise that she was having seizures. She only hoped that two would be the last of them, especially with her awake and aware. She hoped that the X-Ray results would come back with damage just enough that she doesn't need the tedious rules or monitoring.  
She hoped that Kakashi and his team captured Sota sooner than later.

Though she was surprised to hear what he was apart of, Ancient of Days was a group she read about along with the Yakuza. When Sakura would do her research on daily crime in Tokyo, sure enough the name Yakuza would pop up. One thing leads to another, and she's on some website that hasn't been updated in ten years talking about ancient Japanese gangs. From what she gathered, Ancient of Days—or Samurai now, she guessed—were never the bad guys. For centuries the group was misunderstood, seen only as a rival gang causing trouble. It was only until the late seventies, early eighties that the group's image went from rival gang to vigilantes; to now, where apparently they are working with a specific group of detectives assigned to taking down the Yakuza. In dealing with these type of things, she knew that death was hand in hand. She wanted to ask Kakashi if he's killed anyone, but she felt it would be unwarranted. What surprised her most of all, was how seemingly unbothered at the notion of Kakashi having killed someone. If they were going after the bad guys, who raped women and murdered children and tore families apart; she didn't count it as a loss. Maybe she was jaded, considering the amount of patients she's had to help due to crime related injuries by the bad guy. Maybe she was jaded, because she's watched people die time and time again due to attacks, very much like what Sakura received.

Moreso, Sakura didn't know how to thank Kakashi or anyone on his team.

Had they not intervened when they did, Sakura knew without a single doubt in her mind that she would have been as good as dead. That man's grip around her throat was quelling, she could feel the muscle in her neck resist futilely when he strangled her. Kakashi can say all day that she would have been able to fight her way out, but Sakura felt differently. She looked death right in the eyes, and it bore the face of a hateful, sickening man who wished nothing but pain on her.  
Sakura's hand raised faintly to her throat, hovering there.

Sakura was grateful she is alive. Sakura was grateful for Kakashi and his teammates stepping in. Sakura was grateful for the protection they offered, and the help Himari and the hospital has been. Despite these, fear still pattered deep in the recesses of her heart. Thoughts of being attacked again came to fruition, with threats of not being saved next time around. What's worse, is she hasn't even had the chance to get a look at herself. She'd been in that damned hospital bed for days, and since she woke up. The only chance she got to move was when they took her for the tests. She wondered what she could possible look like, and swallowed nervously at the idea. Himari had said something about scratches on her face, scars on her neck, and bruising. The curiosity burned morbidly, rattling her thought process with anxiety.  
Sakura knew she looked bad.

She saw it in the way everyone regarded her pitifully. She saw the distress flicker across Kakashi's face when his eyes travelled the expanse of her face and body. She saw it in the way Himari avoided her questions; a feat Himari never pulled. She saw it in the way Tanaka's mouth turned down in a deep frown before the X-Ray. She saw it in the way the other nurses treated her carefully, as though she'd shatter at the slightest touch. She felt it, all over her body. Her side, her stomach, her chest, her neck, her hands, and her face. Each part of her radiating with a consistent ache that refused to go away. The stinging she felt on her left cheek, the nonstop burning she felt in the right. The way her side pulsed and her breath hitched when she tried to move too suddenly, too far, or too much. Every time she spoke, swallowed, or even took a breath of air: was an intake of palpitating suffering that made her want to stay mute. The sensation was irritating, and disheartening. Sakura's voice was an octave lower than her usual tone, hoarse and grating. Of everything, that's what she worried about the most. Hell, even the thought of permanent scars didn't freak her out as much as the lingering fright that was her voice being forever altered.  
Inside, Sakura was a complete train wreck.  
Outside, for the sake of everybody else, she did everything in her power to remain as stoic and unbothered as possible.

She'd like to think that she could fool Kakashi of all people, but that was a thought that was aggressively fading away. No matter the front, he saw through it. Most of the time, he'd step back and let her safe face—for her sake, of course. But from time to time, he'd gently scold her. It was his soft rebukes that struck the center of her heart, a sweet reprimand when she got too caught up in her thoughts. Sakura was grateful for Kakashi. He's been nothing but loyal during this time, staying constantly by her side. He's been nothing but helpful, nothing but understanding. She never left his careful speculation, and it made her feel uneasy because it was something she wasn't used to. She'd never met a man who remained so goddamned steadfast. He was quick to act if the nurses needed him, and still managed to get her to laugh here and there. If she was being a burden to him, he never let on. He only regarded her endearingly; his onyx gaze a safe haven. Sakura took pride in not relying on someone else, but when he jumped over into the bed and held her together; being supported by someone never felt so right. His hold was so sure; if anyone could protect her, it was him. Sakura came to the conclusion that she'd have to swallow her pride on this one, no matter how humiliated and weak she felt.

"How long do you think it'll take your stab wounds to heal?" Hinata broke in, cutting Sakura's zoning out.

Sakura quirked her mouth dubiously, "About a month, if it's as deep as Himari said it is."

Hinata frowned, "I'm sorry this happened to you, Sakura. I wish we could have got to you sooner."

Sakura regarded the raven haired woman before her considerately, "There's nothing no one could have done if they couldn't hear what was happening. How would anyone have known?"

"You were in there for a long time. We should have known when it took you longer than ten minutes," Kakashi pointed out darkly, guilt etching the lines of his face.

"It was a freak situation," Sakura explained in a faint croak. "No one saw this coming. He purposely kept me from screaming each time I tried. The restroom was down a small walkway, around a corner, and down that small hall—away from diners. I'm surprised that anyone heard me when I did scream."

"Couldn't miss it," he retorted coarsely.

"Don't tell me you're blaming yourself…" Sakura whispered, astonished.

Kakashi said nothing, only moving from his position at the end of the bed to sit beside her in the chair. He let out a serious suspire, "It's not that I blame anyone or anything, besides Sota and his men. It's just that we had so many opportunities to catch this before it happened, and none of us were paying attention."

"You were at a diner eating breakfast," Hinata interjected defensibly. "It was a normal morning, no one could have anticipated it happening."

"No. We all knew what happened at the club. We should have been on guard the moment she stepped out of the club. Instead, we underestimated our enemy—which goes against our read. We should have gotten her stuff from her place and taken her somewhere safe immediately." Kakashi's body was tense, leaning over with his elbows on his knees, hands clapped together in a fist; his forehead tilted over to rest on his hands. He looked rough. The typically cool regard he carries was replaced with tension and trouble. She'd catch his jaw clenching in pulses when she'd look over at him, to the point that she eventually tapped his jaw lightly; casting him a chiding glance. Even though his eyes were almost always heavy lidded, she noticed the tiredness was more prominent; they seemed darker, the bags more noticeable. His hair was a ruffled mess from how often he's been running his hand through it. For someone so calm and collected, it unnerved her to see him so on edge. Sakura understood being in the hospital too long had one thing to do with it, but the other only puzzled her. He cared for her to the point that his casual demeanor shifted erratically on sight. As much as she hated to see him so distressed, she knew one thing to be true:

Kakashi was not like other men.  
This only fueled her hunger to be ingrained deeply within his realm.

Several more hours passed, rather boringly, for Sakura. Kakashi and Hinata made small talk as much as they could in hopes to, what Sakura assumed, distract her. Sakura learned that Hinata was dating Naruto; they have been for nearly two years, now. Listening to Hinata talk, Sakura wondered how a relationship between them worked out; what was the dynamic. Naruto came off as so high energy, loud, and in your face. Hinata was more reserved, soft spoken, and calm. She figured opposites attract, and the length in their time together was only proof of that. Sakura asked Kakashi about the dogs; to which he replied that he had Ino on the job, which made her feel better. A deep part of her worried they'd break into her apartment and hurt her pets. She'd seen it happen in movies all the time, and while the situation she was in seemed wholly unreal, she wasn't for scratching anything out now.

Five rolled around when Himari marched in the room with Tanaka following behind. Sakura had only seen Tanaka a handful of times—he was a busy man, after all. Tanaka was rather short, somewhere in his mid fifties, and balding. He had hair on the side of his head that he'd sweep over in attempts to cover the bald spot. He wore square shaped glasses that sat at the tip of his nose and not the bridge. His face was completely round, with big round cheeks, and rubbery lips that stretched really wide. In his hand he held a manila folder, which Sakura knew right away to be her X-Ray's. The room became silent as the trio watched them settle in. Himari took the white board off of the wall, lighting up the back light to the display underneath. Both said nothing as Tanaka pulled the tab open on the folder, flimsy film gliding out and flopping before he clipped each one to the display.

Tanaka swiveled to face Sakura with a professional smile that made her sweat. "Evening, dear Sakura. How's my favorite nurse feeling today?"

"I'm okay," She responded nervously, picking at her thumb. "I'm still hurting."

Tanaka nodded willfully, "Can you tell me exactly what's hurting?"

"Uh—yeah. My throat and the stab wounds hurt the greatest. My head hasn't stopped throbbing since I've been awake. My stomach and chest are sore, and my face feels really hot. Well, one side stings and one side is hot."

"Mmhmm…" he hummed, scrutinizing Sakura's face. "We can't give you drip anymore, Sakura. We're afraid if you have another seizure, combined with the morphine, you'll be asleep again for a long time. We can only give you strong Tylenol—you know that."

"I understand," Sakura agreed.

"Good. Now, let's get to business. We got your results in. I don't do this with my patients, but I'm going to give you the option, Sakura. Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" He glanced at her from over his glasses.

Sakura's stomach flipped, "I think…Good news."

"Alright, good news is that you will be discharged tomorrow," he answered almost gravely.

"The bad news?" she breathed anxiously, eyebrows tilted and eyes wide.

Tanaka straightened, "Alright. The bad news is several things. You have suffered severe damage to both your head and your throat. You received not just one, but two concussions. I'm assuming your head was assaulted more than once?"

Sakura jut her chin down in a curt nod. Beside her she could see Kakashi's jaw twitch, his eyes hardening.

"That's what I thought. You were strangled two separate times, correct?"

"Y-yes sir," she stuttered, her mouth going dry. It wasn't like him to drag things out; Sakura's nerves were so on end she was starting to feel sick.

He nodded slow, deliberate nods of understanding. "You understand what happens to the brain when someone is severely strangled. That, with the fact that you also had multiple head trauma on separate occasions in the same sitting, is what's causing your seizures. We also think that shock had a lot to do with it, as your body exhibited all the symptoms of shock. Furthermore, we are worried that the two seizures you've had are the last of it. Though intellectually you'll be okay, your brain has suffered some trauma that will take time to heal. Because of this, things can trigger more seizures. Stress, feeling any emotion to high, getting hurt—you name it. You're in an incredibly susceptible state right now, think of it as if you're wearing ice skates and you're dancing on the world's thinnest ice. It's important that you take the time off we've given you to recuperate as best as you can. That means being as less stressed out as possible. Additionally, there is a chance you may never get another seizure again. But those odds are 70/30. The problem is that because this is a result of head trauma, there's really no medicine we can give you that will help with the seizures that won't have adverse side effects because you don't actually have any seizure-like illness. All I can advise you is that you really rest, Sakura. Don't get involved with anything that will get you riled up, no heavy lifting, and definitely no stressing. I understand right now in your state it's hard, but you've got to do your best."

Tanaka cleared his throat, continuing. "Eventually, your body will heal itself and your head will be fine. Until then, you will experience dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and maybe even mood swings. Your memory will be impaired, your vision might go blurry; and you're going to have a lot of headaches as I'm sure you're well aware of. That being said, the after care is the prudent to your getting better. I'm sure you were anticipating this, but it has to happen: we are putting you under the strict rule that you have to be monitored for the whole month."

"What?!" Sakura gasped cynically. "Tanaka, you've got to be joking, that's way too long. Aren't we being just a little bit over precautious?"

Tanaka gazed at her skeptically, his lips pressed tight into a grim line. "No, Sakura, we are not. Look at this X-Ray. You've got diffuse swelling all around, not to mention what's lighter here in the middle indicating _severe_ contusion. Severe, Sakura. You're lucky that we're letting you go tomorrow, otherwise we'd keep you here, but it's not like we can just wait around for a seizure to happen or not. So, yes. You're going to have to be monitored for the entire month."

Kakashi spoke up, "What does that entail?"

"I'm glad you asked. Sakura here should already know. She can't really take showers or baths by herself—she can have a seizure any time. If she does shower, someone needs to either help her—especially for the first week and a half because of her stab wounds and internal damage she took from the attack. You're going to be hurting, stiff, and slow. You're going to need the help. Absolutely no heavy lifting, whatsoever. No driving. If she goes into town, someone should be with her. Honestly, she shouldn't really be alone at all."

"Honestly," Sakura cut. "I don't need someone with me the _whole_ time."

"Sakura, you're not getting it and I understand why, but this isn't the time to argue. Do you want to know what will happen if you have another seizure, with the condition your brain is in? You can slip into a coma, and we are positive that you won't wake up. You can fall and hurt your head more—causing permanent damage this time around. You are literally at high risk, this isn't a game. I'll say it again, you have to have someone with you during this season; unless you want to pay to stay here the whole time so we can watch you. Showers, for the first week and a half please have someone assist you because you can re-open those wounds. After that time, they don't have to be in there with you, but they do have to be around and listening for if you do seize. Likewise, you should not sleep alone. Someone else must be in the same room as you, preferably sleeping next to you so they'll wake up during the seizure. You're not realizing just how seriously injured you are. You're strong, but you're not super woman."

"Fine," she huffed, beaten. "I understand."

Truth of the matter is, Sakura knew this was going to happen out the gate. She feared it, and had hoped it wouldn't, but knew nonetheless. All she could do now was swallow her pride and ride it out as best as she could considering everything. Given the news about her brain and the odds of her having another seizure did stress her out, but she fought hard internally to think rationally about it. She didn't want to get emotional. She wanted to hear the news, process it, and handle it accordingly.

"Do you have anyone who can stay with you?" Tanaka queried, rubbing the lens of his glasses with his sleeve. "I know you don't have family here."

"I'll be taking care of her," Kakashi allowed, raising a palm in the air.

Tanaka surveyed Kakashi carefully, "You understand how serious this is, right? One more seizure could leave her brain dead or in a coma if we aren't careful. That means cultivating a stress-free environment for her. Are you willing to handle that responsibility?"

"Without a doubt," he responded sharply, his gaze a determined glint.

"Good. There are warning signs of a seizure, but in her instance they will be hard to tell. If she's behaving peculiarly; overly confused, overly anxious, if her limbs start jerking randomly or she becomes unconscious out of her control for any reason—do NOT hesitate to bring her here as quick as possible. Now, when it comes to showers you need to be extremely slow and cautious. As I said before, her body has taken on a lot of damage, so because of that she shouldn't be making any movements that would jeopardize her. Bending over, leaning over to the side too much for instance. Because of the string of events: attack, head trauma, shock, and multiple seizures her muscles are going to be extremely stiff. It will take awhile for them to loosen up again, and because of her other wounds she can't necessarily stretch. Be mindful of that. As well, you need to make sure that those wounds on her side are cleaned and cared for properly. Remove the gauze, let water run over it lightly. We have a soap we will give you to use to clean it. Afterwards, let it dry; then apply an ointment we will give you and a new gauze. The same goes for the bite mark, her neck, and cheek. When she's sleeping, you're okay to sleep—just be aware of her. Like I said, sleeping in the bed would be best, but if that makes either of you uncomfortable then sleep on a cot beside the bed. Just as long as you're near her so you can hear and feel if something happens."

Sakura was overwhelmed.

She's had her days of giving lengthy after care to patients, but this was a par in and of its' own. Not to mention, it wasn't even directed at her: it was all Kakashi's job, or whoever helped to take care of her. Sakura felt ashamed of herself, taking one last chance to close her eyes in a steady blink in hopes this was all a dream. If she didn't already feel useless before, the feeling was only magnified at the notion that someone was going to have to help her shower for nearly two weeks. She was going to have to be baby sat, wasting everyone else's time. Not just medically, either.  
But her safety, as well.

"I understand," Kakashi asserted confidently, leaned forward absorbing all of what Tanaka was instructing. "She'll be fine to wash herself, right?"

Tanaka cocked his head to the side, unsure. "That depends on Sakura. I would say, the least amount of effort she has to make so her body can really heal; the better. She can really hurt those muscles straining to wash her hair."

"They don't hurt that bad," Sakura muttered, stretching out her arm to emphasize her point.

"That's because you've been sitting in a bed. Just wait until you get up and moving around; then you'll feel it. I say, first week and a half let someone else take care of you. As much as you may hate it, it's really important. Don't strain yourself just because you're proud."

Sakura remained silent, while Himari nodded impudently.

Tanaka cleared his throat, "Moving on. If you look at this next X-Ray; this is of your neck. Your trachea extremely swollen and irritated. You see this puff over here?" He indicated along the length of her trachea on the image. "Trauma. This can take just as long to heal, but the pain should go away within two weeks. We suggest you stick to a liquid diet for five days—that means protein dense liquids like Ensure. Soup, water, tea you can have. After your five days are up, slowly make your way up to eating solid food again. Start with apple sauce, pudding, and then mashed potatoes, mac and cheese. Once you get comfortable eating solids again, you're good to go. We'll be giving you a throat spray to help ease the pain some and help with the inflammation. Now," Tanaka squared his shoulders, looking Sakura head on earnestly. "This is where the really bad news comes in. Your larynx took some major damage, to the point that we are sure scar tissue will procure there. You've already noticed a change in your voice, and while it may not be as gravely when your throat starts to hear, chances are that your voice will sound different permanently."

Sakura froze, unblinking as she struggled to digest the information.  
It had been her biggest fear, vocalized. Sakura never said anything about it because she thought it couldn't be that bad.

She was sorely wrong.

She bit down on her lip hard, inhaling deeply through her nose and closing her eyes. Her thoughts began to flood immediately. What was she going to do? What was she going to sound like—surely not this, right? Right now she sounds like she'd been smoking for fifty years. There was nothing attractive about the rasp in her voice; it only sounded miserable and pained. What was she going to tell her parents? They'll obviously notice the change. What could she possibly tell them, that would keep them for pressing for further questions? To her right, she heard Hinata's light gasp at Tanaka's break of news. Beside her, Kakashi had stilled completely, staring intensely at Tanaka; waiting for his next words. Several minutes passed that Tanaka said nothing; he simply waited for Sakura to gather herself. She pulled on her hair anxiously, swiping it over her shoulder and down her chest in a gesture she did often when she felt insecure about herself. She wanted to cry, she could feel the heat rising in the middle of her face. Her fists clenched and unclenched, her mind whirring while she tried to take care of the rise of emotions.

Himari opined, "We're hoping that when your whole throat heals, your voice may get close to what it was normally. Fact of the matter is, the damage is far too extensive for us to fix, but not extensive enough to warrant any operation; not that it would help, anyways. You can try to drink warm teas with honey, ginger, cinnamon, and lemon to soothe it all. But we can't guarantee anything will wholly get back to normal, Sakura."

Sakura sniffed, squeezing her eyes tight to fight back the tears. She bobbed her head, working up the wherewithal to speak, but not daring to open her mouth until she was sure she wasn't going to sob. Hinata walked around to Sakura's free side of the bed, reaching out and holding her hand; pearl eyes expressing disquiet and care. Kakashi took hold of her other hand, his thumb stroking small circles like he had done before. A few beats passed before she finally piped up a weak, "I understand."

Tanaka took a minute, his gaze softening. "Good. I'll leave you with instructions on after care. Right now, you should just relax. We've given you a lot of bad news today, and I know you need time to digest it. I'm going to send a nurse in with some soup for you, because you still haven't eaten. Tomorrow you'll be discharged in the afternoon. When you get home tomorrow, I want you to take a shower there and clean the wounds there, since we've been cleaning them here but you haven't showered here since you've been here. The grime probably isn't helping with the healing or irritation any." He took off his glasses and let them hang around his neck, shuffling over to Sakura with a caring smile. He pat her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Sakura. I wish I had better news for you. All we have to do now is move forward, get past this hump of healing so that we can all move on and be happy. This coming month is going to be rough, but if anyone can handle it, you can." He gave her two more light pats and a sympathetic smile before leaving the room, Himari close behind.

The room fell eerily silent, each individual processing the information differently. Hinata pat Sakura's hand lovingly, telling her that everything always works out and that it'll get better. Kakashi squeezed her hand tenderly, bringing it forward and planting a long kiss on the back of her hand; lingering as though it'd chase the problems away. Sakura stared up at the ceiling, blinking back the cry that threatened to escape her. The more she struggled to keep it together, the harder she squeezed their hands, to the point that her scraped knuckles were white. Sakura didn't want to believe what she was told, but she'd be ignorant to think otherwise. Her insecurity told her that's one more thing she'd be hideous for, but her rationality told her that it shouldn't be so bad once her throat heals. Her pride told her that she was going to be showered and washed like a little girl, but her sensibility told her it was only for a week and a half; and that it was for the best. Her anxiety told her that she was never going to escape; this was the state of her life for now on.

Peering between the bodies on either side of her, her sanity told her that, despite her shame, she wasn't in this alone and that she was in capable hands.


	13. Plan of Action

Time seemed to drag as they waited for Sakura to be discharged. After Tanaka had given the bad news, Kakashi and Hinata did their best to keep Sakura from thinking too much. The small talk remained fluid, for the most part. Hinata was asking Sakura about her parents, her upbringing, and essentially her entire life. Despite the tightening in his chest he was feeling, he found himself absorbed with the information she'd divulge. Typical to Sakura, she was not an open book. But, Hinata's sincerity and sweetness made for a great disarming tactic, so eventually she began to freely speak. He learned that she had grown up in Long Island her whole life, that she used to have another pug named Ramone who passed away when she was sixteen. She used to run track, she became a black belt in Taijutsu by thirteen, and that college was one of the most "rewarding but rough" experiences of her life. He also delighted in the fact that she shared with them that she would go fishing all the time with her father. When she was younger, it was every week at least. As she got older, the tradition became more sporadic, but they still found time at least once a month to break away from the world and spend time together.

"You know," Kakashi began, plucking at the fabric on his chair mindlessly. "My dad and I used to go fishing all the time together, too. Behind our house, there's a path that leads to a river. We'd go there, we'd fish, and then we'd take the fish home and cook it up—ever since I had been just a kid. As I got older, he'd let me have a small glass of sake with it."

"I wish my dad and I had some sort of tradition…" Hinata trailed off deplorably. "We were pretty distant for the most part. Sometimes it felt like he spent more time with my sister than me."

Sakura's mouth twitched, "I'm sorry. Is there an issue between you two?"

"No," Hinata shook her head and plucked her shoulders. "no issue. We've just never really found a common ground to click? Plus we've never really been great on communication."

"Well…I mean, there's still time, you know? You could talk to him and tell him you'd like to spend more time with him, I'm sure he wouldn't mind that. I bet he's just awkward and doesn't know what to say. I had to learn that with my dad. He's a man of very few words, so I had to pick up on his body language and the things he didn't communicate told me everything I needed to know. Men are pretty straight forward, so just confront him about it."

"I should," she agreed softly. "I would love for him to spend time with Naruto, too."

Kakashi chuckled, "Maybe have him hang out with Naruto in small doses, so your dad doesn't get overwhelmed."

Hinata giggled and nodded with a smile.

"How did you and Naruto become a couple?" Sakura rasped, sipping water and openly wincing.

While Hinata talked, Kakashi became lost in thought. Even though Sakura seemed to hold it together for the most part, he knew that her mind has to be spinning wildly. In just a short amount of time, her entire world has been flip-flopped. She went from a new job in a new place, to a victim being actively hunted by an extremely dangerous group of men. Anyone else in this situation would react wildly, it was honestly only natural. Despite her efforts in making her face unreadable, he saw the cogs turning in her eyes. He saw the way they flashed when he told her about Sota, he heard her breath hitch and hold during that moment. Kakashi noticed her subtle panic, there was no doubt she was scared shitless of being ambushed again. She probably felt equally unsafe anywhere, considering she was attacked in a common place, where tons of people are, during the day no less. He didn't know how she's actively feeling about having to stay with him at the house, and he was only slightly worried at how she conceded. Sakura was a proud woman, that was screamingly obvious. The fact that she was going to have to be taken care of down to the very detail of someone else helping her shower, her gut must be twisting and she probably feels awful; and that's the last thing she need right now.

With Tanaka's instructions of her remaining as stress free as possible, Kakashi was going to do his best to cultivate that environment for her. Even though she was at a disability, he was going to make sure she didn't feel that way. He didn't want her to feel coddled or patronized, that would only further her mounting stress. He was also not going to inform her on any dealings with Sota, if he didn't have to. As long as she'd feel reassured it was being taken care of, that would be the extent of her knowledge on the subject up until they capture him. The more Kakashi thought about Sakura's stay at the house, he suddenly realized that he had been staying at this hospital the entire time when he knew for a fact the house didn't have a scrap of food in there, let alone any of her stuff. Chances are, Sota's men are camped out somewhere waiting to see Sakura step out of the hospital. If they go directly to her apartment, he wouldn't put it past them to ambush them right then and there. Considering the most recent events, there was no way he was going to underestimate what these men could do. Even if he came off overly paranoid, it was a precaution he was willing to take. These men were not playing games, and neither would he.

Digging in his pocket, Kakashi pulled out his phone and pulled up Shino's contact. Muttering an "excuse me, ladies" to the girls, he stepped out of the room and into the hall of the hospital. Kakashi walked down either end of the hall, observing around the corners and speculating the nooks where someone would hide out. Once everything was clear, he propped himself against the wall by Sakura's door and dialed. Two rings passed, followed with a very curt, "Yes" from Shino.

"Sakura is supposed to be discharged sometime this afternoon," Kakashi informed. "As soon as she is released, we are heading to Samurai so that we can all come to terms with how we're going to do this. Afterwards, we still have to go to Sakura's so she can pack, because I will have her staying at the house until all of this is taken care of."

"I'll gather a team to run perimeter," Shino affirmed, already on the same field as Kakashi. "We'll run perimeter. I'll have Kiba bring his car to pick you all up. We'll do checks up until you leave, making sure no one follows you, and then we'll follow behind for good measure. Should anything happen, we'll notify you and handle it."

"I can always count on you," Kakashi expressed firmly, relieved he didn't need to explain anything to Shino. "The doctor said she'll be released sometime around the afternoon."

"We'll be there before then."

"Great."

Shino hung up.

With a sigh, Kakashi let his hand fall to his side. Shino has sharp eyes, they'll be able to catch if anyone suspicious is lurking around the hospital, or if anyone is trailing them. Kakashi would make sure that they took the long way to Samurai, to weed them out just in case. He scratched his head, turning and stepping back into the room. Twin sets of eyes glanced up at him when he walked in, question on their faces. "Everything okay?" Hinata asked carefully.

Kakashi gave a blunt nod, "Yes. I was on the phone with Shino."

"How's Shino?" The look in her eyes was immediately knowing, already understanding what was taking place.

"He's good, he's good." Kakashi took in a deep breath. "Sakura, as soon as you're discharged we will be making a stop at Samurai first. You have to meet the entire team, and we all have to talk about what we're going to do."

Sakura's brow blenched, "About what?"

He met her gaze with a steady one of his own, "About everything."

"Oh," she breathed, her expression going blank. "Okay. I'll be able to go home and pack, right?"

"Of course, as soon as we are done there. It's just important that we all meet as a unit and come to terms with what we're going to do. It's also important that you're there to listen, so you understand what's going on and what's going to happen. I don't want you to be lost on anything."

"Okay…" she replied gradually. "Will…will we be okay?"

"What do you mean?" Kakashi pressed.

Sakura broke her gaze, staring down at her fingers that she's threading and unthreading together. "Are we going to be safe?"

Kakashi held back the grimace that threatened to form. He stepped over to stand beside Hinata who was sitting down. He placed a hand on his chest and a hand on Hinata's back. "We've got you, Sakura. Not just us, but the entire team is on this. You're in incredibly capable hands. We're no-shit trained ninjas, remember?" He winked.

Sakura relaxed only slightly, her shoulders lowering and her hands releasing themselves. She leaned back from her hunched over position, her eyes flicking between Kakashi and Hinata. For a moment he thought he saw her gaze settle on his hand that was on Hinata's back, a peculiar expression flickering in her eyes before she looked away with a subtle shake of her head. "I mean, I read about your group. It was on some janky website. But I just figured it was something that died out with the change of time. I didn't even think that actual ninjas existed. You don't look like ninjas."

"What were you expecting, all black suits and fabric over our eyes? Should I be wielding a katana right now?" Kakashi chortled, removing his hand off of Hinata's back.

"I prefer nunchucks myself," Hinata giggled in front of him.

Sakura regarded them passively, "You know what I mean. It's just surreal, is all I'm saying."

Kakashi shrugged, "I suppose for someone on the outside, yeah. We don't know any other way of life, though. Most of us were born into this, it's incredibly generational."

"Does that mean that you don't have a choice in the matter?"

"No," he answered, jutting out his lip and shaking his head. "not really. It would be considered dishonoring your ancestors, but it's not something you absolutely have to do. Back in the day, yes. Now? Not so much. Still, we all chose to follow in our lineage. It's an honorable way to live, and we do a lot to help those around us."

"And one day, hopefully our children will do the same," Hinata added almost dreamily.

"So, do your parents train you?" Sakura inquired skeptically. It was obvious she was still not fully understanding what they were apart of was a real thing.

"Well, yeah they do train us growing up. But, along with school there's another school we're sent to as kids. We call it the Academy. We start there, and then we're set up with a teacher who trains us from there," Kakashi explained. "Our team isn't just the only ones. We are called Samurai, but there are others all over." He stuck his arm out, waving his flat palm in a semi circle for emphasis. "We have two annual meetings a year, and others if it's called for it. Technically, we _are_ ninjas, but we're called Shinobi. There's levels to it, a lot like the belts in Taijutsu. It's a lot to explain, but we'll have time to pound out the details. So, during the summers our parents will send us away to where the academy is and that's where we train. During the school year it's our parents job to train us according to what the Academy says they should be teaching us. This happens until we graduate to Jonin. Most of us stay in our sects, or chapters. Some become apart of the Academy. Some join a group called ANBU and they work on more extreme jobs, like high level military and political stuff. For the most part, our chapters handle things ourselves. Calling in ANBU is when it's beyond our control."

"Why is it called chapters, and not just one group? Are all the chapters called Samurai?" Sakura cocked her head slightly, processing the dump of information.

"Back in the day, there were villages. Each village had its' own group of jonin, its' own teachers, so on and so forth. As time went on, villages sort of died out as cities and counties changed. So, it got changed to chapters, but depending on the vicinity is what village your chapter is from. For example, we come from the village hidden in the leaves. That's where our ancestors come from, that's where we'd be living. Gaara, his ancestors are from Sunagakure, which back then was pretty much a desert in the Tottori sand dunes. He goes in between that chapter and ours a lot, because at the end of the day we are all working towards the same goal. Each chapter has its' own jobs, along with sometimes asking other chapters for jobs to help them with. While we are dealing with the Yakuza, Sunagakure takes on a lot of drug lords in that area. As a whole, our organization is still Ancient of Days. Our chapter is regarded as Samurai. Gaara's home chapter is regarded as Shukaku, and they're all pretty brutal as far as their sect goes. Damn good nins, but they don't smile nearly as much as they should. Overall, there's five major chapters with shinobi. There are smaller sub-chapters included. We are one of those five."

"That's insane," Sakura mumbled. "I feel like I'm reading some fantasy book."

"Traditions don't die, Sakura. Not really. No matter how bad rival gangs and groups tried to take down Ancient of Days as a whole, or the chapters—we never died out. We take pride in our chapters, in our job, and we'll die for it. The life of a Shinobi isn't easy, but it's rewarding."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak at the same time a light knock could be heard on the door. The door opened up, and Shino stepped in with Kiba; Akamaru close to his feet.

"Good?" Kakashi mouthed silently.

Shino gave one slow, deliberate raise of his chin. Kakashi responded with a quick one of his own, then turning to Kiba. "Thank you for bringing your car."

"Yeah, yeah." Kiba dismissed with a wave, tearing his concerned gaze away from Sakura to look at Kakashi. Their eyes met, the silent connection communication enough on the severity of the issue. "Don't mention it. When's she supposed to be discharged, have they said anything yet?"

"Mh. Not really. The nurses have been coming in every hour or so to check on Sakura, but none of them have said when she's going to get discharged. We're just all sitting around and waiting," Kakashi replied with a tired sigh.

Kiba nodded, directing his attention back to Sakura. He ambled over to her, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," she managed to smile.

"You look rough," he remarked sarcastically. Kakashi went stiff, quickly turning his head to Kiba to rebuke him until Kiba followed up with: "I feel bad for the bastard that tried to take you down. You fucked him up, Sakura."

"Good. I wish I could have done more." Her tone was solid, with an indignant edge.

"You did a lot, trust me. You punched his face so hard that he had been spitting teeth out the entire time we were taking him away. He was breathing funny—did you hit him in the chest?"

Kakashi knew what Kiba was doing. Kiba had always been good at making someone feel really good about themselves, or really bad. His words held a lot of weight, and could do more damage than a dagger if he so chose. What he was doing now was an attempt at making Sakura feel good about how she protected herself, instead of feeling like she lost. Even if she got the short end of the stick, she still fought tooth and nail; that was something that she needed to recognize, and Kakashi was thankful that Kiba was aware of it, too.

Sakura's brow came together, her expression thrown off by Kiba's forthcoming attitude about the encounter. Until now, everyone was tip-toeing around the details as much as possible so she'd stay calm and that it wouldn't trigger anything. "Um…yeah, I did." She finally answered, unsure of where Kiba was going.

"How'd you do it?"

Sakura looked around the room, raising her hands up dubiously, "I…I mean, he was on top of me. I punched him in the throat, kicked him in the chest and he fell back. I leapt on him, put my hands like this," she weaved her fingers together, her two hands forming a tight ball. "Then I drove it down as hard as I could."

Kiba's brow quirked, his lips drawing into an impressed grimace. "Gaara thinks that you cracked one of his ribs, which is why he was breathing so funny. By the time we got him where we were taking him, he was missing almost all of his front teeth, his eyes were swollen shut and bleeding, and he could barley breathe. His face was all fucked up, he looked like he'd been put through some industrial meat grinder."

Sakura sat up some, her expression glimmering a small hope. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah girl. You fucked him _up_, Sakura. Remind me to not get on your bad side," he nudged her playfully.

Sakura tittered gravelly, but otherwise said nothing.

"Let us know when they discharge her," Shino remarked by the door. "Kiba. Let's go."

With a final wave, Kiba followed Shino out of the room. Watching Sakura, Kakashi paid close attention to the display of emotions that flashed in her green eyes. Seconds passed and her brow would draw deep, straighten, pick up, and go flat again. No doubt she was reliving the whole experience. Internally, Kakashi frowned deeply. He wanted nothing more to take away the scenes that were replaying in her head. He wanted to replace them with others, ones so dramatically different that the attack would pale in comparison to the others. He wanted to replace them with scenes of cooking breakfast, drinking coffee, and talking shit to each other. Scenes of them even fishing together, just like he did with his dad and she did with hers. He only wanted her to heal properly from this, but with the knowledge looming over her that Sota and his men were still out there; it was near to impossible. For someone like him and the team, attacks happen so often that they've become jaded to it. Someone will come in stabbed and find it a burden when Tsunade yells at them to go to the hospital. Sure, she knew Taijutsu, but she's never been actively attacked a day in her life—not to this degree, not with this much severity, and not with the consequences following. The way she was attacked was the reason she'd took Taijutsu; to protect herself. She probably read about instances like this in articles on the web, posts, and on the news. She probably never thought it would actually happen to her.

He hoped that she could reform herself from this. That she'll be stronger, mentally and physically.  
Kakashi would help her get there, no matter the cost.

Another hour and a half passed until Sakura was officially discharged. Once all the paperwork was done, it was Himari who was going over the aftercare paperwork that Tanaka had provided, along with a bag of medical supplies for Sakura. "Like Tanaka said," Himari went on abrasively so Sakura understood that what she was telling her was non-negotiable. "you've got the month to heal. Do not over exert yourself, do not lift anything heavy, and do not drive. You must be monitored for the entire time, meaning someone has to be with you. We _will_ run a wellness check, and if we find out that you're not being attended, there will be consequences like us taking you in here for the entire month—and that's going to be expensive, even with you working here. For the first five days, stick to a liquid diet. For the first two weeks, have someone assist you with the shower because I'm telling you, you won't be able to do it on your own. Because of the severity of your wounds, if you don't already, you have to shower every day to take care of all of them. If after the two weeks you're still feeling stiff and showering hurts, still have someone help you. Make sure that when you're sleeping, someone is there with you just in case you have another seizure in your sleep. Stay as stress free as possible, Sakura. I cannot say that enough. Here," she handed Kakashi a fabric bag. "in there is the throat medicine, the ointment for your wounds, gauze, gauze tape—everything. Oh, also there's a certain soap in here that you need to wash your wounds with. Use just a dime sized drop, and use it until the bottle is empty. Do not take care of your wounds on your own, have someone help you. Be sure to drink a lot of water so that your muscles will start to ease up some, you're going to feel like you ran for 100,000 miles straight without stopping and then lifted weights for 72 hours consecutively."

Sakura deadpanned, "You're being dramatic."

"Hmph. NO, I'm not," Himari snapped sassily, cupping Sakura's chin and staring down at her tenderly at the same time. "We need you to get better so we can have our pink-haired nurse back, okay?"

"Okay," Sakura responded just as tenderly, glancing up to meet Himari's eyes.

Himiar whipped on Kakashi, "And _you."_

"Me?" Kakashi repeated, thumb jutted at his chest and his voice influxing.

Himari's eyes narrowed, "Yes, _you._ You better take damn good care of her. If I find out that you're not handling her the way we told you to, or that she's being neglected in any way, I will _personally_—"

"Himari," Sakura interjected with a shake of her head. "He'll take care of me."

Kakashi couldn't help the stupid smile that spread across his face. Was she actually _trusting_ him?

Himari grunted, "Fine. I'll go grab the wheelchair, I'll be back." She left the room in a breeze.

Himari came back in twenty minutes, pushing the wheelchair in. "Alright, baybay. You're going to move nice and slow, okay? We can't afford any sudden movements. Take my hand," she held out her hand. Kakashi stood by, watching Himari gradually help Sakura move off of the bed and into the wheelchair. While she told them she was okay, her winces of pain said otherwise. Each movement that was greater than the small ones she made in the bed caused her to hiss, flinch, or blow out air slowly. Her movements were stiff and jerky, and he could see the realization crossing her face that Himari and Tanaka were indeed right. While this was going on, Kakashi had pulled out his phone and made a quick call to Shino to let them know they were on the move.

"Okay. Kiba is out front by the entrance waiting for you all. We are running perimeter checks right now. We'll follow you out when you leave." Shino remarked, militant.

"Good."

The phone hung up.

Standing behind Himari and Sakura was Hinata, holding the bags Himari had given them. Kakashi and Hinata exchanged a brief glance before following them out. Both Hinata and Kakashi kept sharp eyes out, carefully watching rounded corners and speculating anyone remotely suspicious. Once they got to the elevator, Choji was across from them and heading their way. He lifted a hand in a wave, "Mind if I take this down?" He quipped to Himari casually.

Himair eyed him gingerly, "I don't know baby, you might be too big of a man to fit with all of us in here."

Choji squinted his eyes and laughed, "Don't worry, I'll fit."

After Himari tugged the wheelchair to the front left of the elevator, Kakashi and Hinata squeezed in behind them, with Choji managing his way in the back right corner. Kakashi glanced over at Choji out of the corner of his eye, regarding him with a deliberate wink before looking straight ahead again. The elevator dinged, and Himari was the first to push Sakura out. In front of the double doors of the entrance stood Kiba, with a huge Jeep Explorer waiting for them.

"You better drive carefully in that thing," Himari commented bitterly, raising Sakura to her feet. "Go ahead and walk, honey."

Sakura took several steps forward, wincing only slightly when she stepped too far out or too fast. After several minutes, she was at the door of the jeep and Kakashi was there helping her in. He took her hand in his, using his free hand to grip the back of her thigh to help hoist her in without her using as much muscle as possible. Sakura grunted, wiggling her way into the seat and rolling her head around slowly with her eyes closed.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi pressed gently, taking the seatbelt from her hand when it was getting caught and not pulling over.

Sakura suspired, "It hurts way more than I thought it would. I didn't think my body was going to feel this way, so it's just kind of a shock."

Kakashi bit the inside of his cheek, "I'm sorry, Sakura. You'll heal and get better sooner than you know it, as long as you follow the doctor's orders."

She peered over at him, "Why do you say it like that?"

He simpered, "Because you're incredibly proud, and also incredibly stubborn." When Sakura glared at him, he raised his hands in defense, "Hey, that's not a bad thing. I personally like that you're more hard headed than a territorial ram." She gave a small laugh, and he winked at her saucily, shutting the door.

Himari gave some last minute instructions, talked to Sakura through the window, and rolled the wheelchair away. Kiba was sitting in the driver's side, Hinata was sitting in the back with Sakura, and Kakashi was in the passenger's seat. Akamaru was in the big trunk in the back, sniffing the nape of Sakura's neck every now and then. The drive was quiet, and Kakashi could see Shino and the others in Choji's car following them.  
His mind was whirring.

Seeing Sakura move, it only furthered the fact that she is in a terrible condition. While her movements most of the time are fluid and nearly graceful, she moved as though her limbs were made of stone. Heavy, slow, and her face twisted in discomfort and pain was proof of that. For a brief moment, he almost second guessed bringing her to Samurai. He thought that maybe it would all be too much for her during this time, but he also knew that she had a clear understanding of how the team was planning on protecting her and capturing Sota. She was already neck deep. The way he saw it, if she was witness to how willing the team was to help her, then she wouldn't feel so bad. Then she would feel confident that she'll be taken care of.

From what Shino told him at the hospital the other day, apparently Gaara and Neji were able to get information about the base out of them—it was a different base than the previous one the team had thought Sota was working out of. He's guessing cops caught on and they relocated. Either way, they had a location and that was the first step. He only hoped that they could get to him before they take off again. It wasn't going to be easy. This had already been a job they have been working at for months and months. They were going to have to tick off Sota's men, narrow them down so they didn't have to meet that much resistance. Squeeze each one for information, as much about Sota's whereabouts as possible. If they could catch him away from his base, the better. If they could capture Sota first, then his men would scatter. The problem was that Sota was a shifty son of a bitch. He never stayed in one spot, he was truly never alone. This job was going to have to be carefully thought out, otherwise Sota would only focus his efforts on getting Sakura and the team.

Kiba pulled up to the club, Shino and the others parking behind. Kakashi stepped out, opening the door for Hinata in passing and making his way to Sakura's side. He opened the door, seeing that Sakura had her head tilted back, eyes squeezed shut and lips pressed together really tight. "Are you okay?" he asked, pulling the seatbelt off of her.

Her eyes snapped opened, she released her lips and leaned forward. "I'm fine. Are we going in?"

Kakashi took her hand, gently pulling her out and letting her stand on her feet. "Yes, we're going in."

He released her hand, but kept his hand on the small of her back to catch her just in case anything happens. Kiba and Akamaru were already at the doors of the club, waiting for them to catch up. Hinata was beside them, and Shino, Neji, Choji, Tenten, and Shikamaru were ambling up; muttering among themselves. Whatever they were chatting about, Kakashi didn't care. He was too focused on Sakura, the way her face twitched from how hard she was fighting back her frustration.

Eventually they passed the double doors, made their way through the empty club. Sakura peered around, her expression almost disappointed. "What is it?" Kakashi sought, his voice echoing in the hall they turned down.

"The club seems…boring…without all the lights and music," she replied in a rasp.

"Yeah," Kakashi shrugged. "once all the magic is taken away it's still just a boring old building. But we've been operating out of this club since the seventies."

"Is it down here?" she pointed down the hall that split left and right at the end.

"Sort of. We'll turn right, and at the end of that small hallway is a door. That door has a staircase that leads down, down there is our safe house."

She glanced down, "Maybe I should stay up here…"

"Why?"

"I don't think I'll be able to get down the stairs, Kakashi. My muscles are hurting way more than I anticipated, they feel all tight and stiff like I've got a constant muscle cramp all over. They almost feel like they're stinging, tingling, and burning. They ache terribly, head to toe. My joints are pulsing. I thought I was just going to be uncomfortable, but I'm really hurting. If I try to go down those stairs, I'll just hurt myself more. I'll just stay up here, I can sit in the booths back there and when you are done we can go." Her frown drew deep, pink brows tightening in the middle. Emerald eyes met his, and he could see her discomfort there. "But," she started. "I really don't want to miss what you and your team are going to talk about. I feel like…I don't know, if I am there I'll feel better about everything?"

"Mh," Kakashi hummed. They reached the door to the safe house by this point, and both were standing there staring at each other. He felt terrible. He didn't want to risk her getting hurt, but it was really important that she stay in on this; for him and for her. "I'll carry you down," he propositioned carefully.

Sakura's eyes widened with a jump, "Carry me? No, I don't think that's a good idea. Plus, I feel horrible about all of this already. From you having to take care of me, to your team having to protect me, to—"

"Listen, Sakura. Whatever dialogue is going on in your head, you really need to squash it. You aren't a burden to any of us. If you don't remember, I offered to take care of you. I offered my home to you, and my help. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't; plain and simple." Kakashi decapitated earnestly, searching her gaze.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to help me? Why do you want to take care of me? Why do I matter to you and your team so much that you are all doing this for me?" She pressed, each question more anxious than the last; her tone almost accusing, as though he was lying.

Kakashi placed his hands on her arms, "I want to help you because I really care about you, Sakura. I think I told you at the diner, I already know that my future involves you. Can't be much of a future if you don't have anyone to carry you down a simple flight of stairs."

Her eyes flicked back forth between his, "How do I look?"

"What?" Kakashi barked confused, leaning and being taken aback by her sudden question.

"How do I look?" She repeated in barely a whisper. "I haven't had a chance to look at myself at all this week. Not even when I'd use the restroom at the hospital. It's like Himari was purposely trying to block the mirror from me." A small tear slipped out of her eye. She wiped it away, glancing down and sucking in a deep breath. "I'm afraid... I don't know what I look like, but I can feel it. I can feel my face, I can feel how hot it is and I can feel the scratches..." Another pause, another breath. Kakashi regarded her, nearly stunned from her candor. She was always so shut off, getting her to admit how she really feels about something was akin to climbing up a muddy hill in the pouring rain. He waited patiently as she opened her mouth to speak again. "I'm afraid of being by myself… I keep thinking that he's going to pop back out and come for me again. I'm afraid of what that man would do to you and your team if he did this to me. I'm afraid that my voice won't get better, and I don't know what I'm going to tell my parents if that's the case…" Sakura shook her head, "My body hurts so bad that logically, I know it'll heal over time. But I still can't help thinking I'll be stuck this way forever. I'm afraid I'll have another seizure, and then I get afraid that I'm over stressing myself…I-I don't even know why I'm saying all of this. I'm sorry. I just don't know what to do. I don't know who to talk to. And…and you and your team saved me. What can I possibly do to pay that back? I have nothing to offer, that equates what you did for me…I've never been so afraid in my life. I've—"

At that time, the rest of the team was walking down the hall towards them in a cluster. Hinata had held back to wait for them, but she waved at Sakura. Sakura turned her head away from them, looking down at the floor and trying to compose herself. The closer the team neared, the more their expressions fell blank at the sight of the intimate conversation between them. "You all go ahead, we'll follow up," Kakashi commented as they opened the door and began to pass. They nodded, and Kakashi waited until every last one of them was through the door and well down the stairs.

He turned his attention back to Sakura, who was still staring down at the floor. His heart wanted to burst out of his chest. He felt honored that she was opening up to him in a big way, considering the situation. He wanted to be sure to say the right words to console her, so she didn't feel like opening up to him was in vain. He honestly wasn't sure he was going to get another moment like this, and he figured the more she started to get better, she'd go back to being reserved. She was vulnerable now, he got that. She'd be protecting herself then, and he got that, too. Neither bothered him; he couldn't blame her. Regardless of these, Kakashi still took to handling her as best as he could. Gently, he hooked a knuckle under her chin, guiding her to face him. Sakura's eyes, which had flicked to the floor, cast up to meet his earnestly. "First and foremost," Kakashi began. "I need you to know that what you're feeling is valid. You went through a traumatic experience, it's only natural to feel what you're feeling, so don't beat yourself up about being afraid. Second, I'm glad that you're voicing this to me; it helps me understand more how I can help you. Plus, it's not all pent up in there," he tapped her forehead lightly. "Third, I cannot express just how sorry I am that you're in pain and that you have to deal with all of this. You were thrown into the mess of everything, and it may feel like things will never go back to normal. And I'll be honest, to a degree; things will never be the same…especially if that involves me. That being said, you are in the most capable hands ever. The team cares about you because I care about you. Ino cares about you deeply. We will all protect you and make sure nothing like this happens ever again. Ever. Lastly, you are beautiful—"

"Don't say that," she huskily admonished. "You always say that. Look at me, be honest. How bad do I look?"

"I always say it, because I always mean it. Your wounds will heal, Usagi. Even with your proof of fight, you're still beautiful. You could sprout a second head and your eyes could fuse into one and I'd still think you're hot." He smirked at her crookedly, with as much reassurance he could muster.

A small, weak smile twitched on her face. One that was obligated, telling him that she wasn't fully with him. He understood. He always understood.

"Understand things will get easier when this is all over. And we will do our best to make it as easy for you during this season. Now, they're waiting on us. I'll scoop you up and—"

"No," she raised a hand to stop him. "I'll just wait up here. I really don't want to bother you with having to carry me."

"Please," he scoffed. "It's not like you're heavy. It's not like it's a hassle, it's not like it's out of the way, dude. We're literally both going down the same way. It's not a burden, you're not a burden. It's not hard at all."

"Are you sure?" She sought uncertainly, nibbling on her thumb nail.

"Well, now that I think about it, there _is_ one thing that's pretty…hard…" he rocked back on his feet, glancing down at her with a playful pause.

Sakura gave a raspy groan, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Kakashi egged artfully. "I was going to say what's hard is my control to dip you romantically under the moonlight and—"

She groaned again, shaking her head and swatting a limp hand at him. "Shut up. Pick me up and let's go."

Kakashi smirked, "Right away, ma'am."

Kakashi took a step toward Sakura, squatting down and very carefully hooking his left arm under her legs; his right arm looping around her back to hold her close, hand wrapping around her bicep. Her breath was only slightly labored by the action, and if it had hurt her she didn't let on with her expression. "Are you okay? Does this hurt or feel uncomfortable at all?" He inquired attentively, angling his face down to meet hers. He pulled her in tight, making sure his hold on her was secure so he could move without her jostling around in his arms.

"I'm fine," Sakura uttered in a low voice.

Holding her, Kakashi couldn't help but notice how perfect her body fit into his arms. Her curves matched and molded with the hard plain of his body; the firmness of her flesh equally combating his toughness. Her head was just at his collarbone, her head angled up at him, her startlingly vivid eyes bearing into his. Her body was tense, her jaw was set; but Kakashi couldn't tell if it was because of the pain she was in, or because of the closeness of their bodies. When she had passed out at the diner, he held her this tight; but she was just that, passed out. Now she was wide awake, fully aware of the proximity between them. Kakashi eyed her face gingerly, taking in the feline shape of it; from wide, cat-like eyes to her sensuous lips. He loved the light-pink hue to them, a dusty rose compared to her peony hair. Her lips were just full enough, and looking so soft he wanted to feel them for himself. Sakura must of noticed his gaze lingering a little too long on her mouth, so she turned her head towards the door, "Should we go now?"

Kakashi waited several more beats, making sure to eye her just long enough for a small blush to form on her cheeks. She pinched her brows at him, glaring. Kakashi grinned, "Now I'm ready."

Walking down the flight of stairs, Kakashi made sure to take his time. Each step was careful and gradual, making sure his heel's didn't hit too hard on the step. Once they reached the bottom, they were greeted with a bunch of "hhhheeeeyyyyy!" from some of the team: Naruto being the loudest of them all.

"Hey," Kakashi replied casually, ignoring Sakura's wiggling.

"Put me down," she murmured, trying to break her foot from his hold but thinking twice about it.

"Let me just put you down on the couch," he rebutted just as quietly. Defeated, she stopped wiggling when he walked her to the couch and placed her down as though she were the Queen's crown jewels. Kakashi straightened, scouring the room. Everyone was there from their team: Neji, Tenten, Rock Lee, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, Temari, and even Kankuro and Gaara. Tsunade was at her dest as usual, shuffling through some papers that were scattered on the desk. He knew the other half of the team was at their location; Anko, Asuma, Gemna to name a few—but this was a matter involving them and their sect as of right now. A job assigned to them, and should things go wrong then they'd call on the other team. Should things go worse, they'll call for ANBU.  
Kakashi was hoping none of that would be the case.

The safe house underneath the club acted like a mini studio apartment. There was a kitchen, but otherwise everything else was pretty open. Most of it made for where the team hashed out job details, get jobs from Tsunade, or just fuck off if they were bored. There wasn't much to the place: Tsunade's desk sat against the back wall of the room. A black, weathered sectional couch was about fifteen feet in front of the desk. There was a table where a bed would be, covered in documents, blue prints, and folders. Opposite from the table was an incredibly old foosball table; the plastic from some of the handles completely missing. The kitchen had a fridge, stove, microwave, and sink. The cabinets above the grey counters were sparse with dishes, cups of noodles (that Naruto religiously keeps in stock), and seasoning. The fridge mainly had water, tea, sake, and beer in it. The restroom was in the farthest left corner of the room, more of a small hallway than an actual bathroom. To the far right was another door, which its' stairs led down to a basement where the team often drug bad guys for interrogation. (Blindfolded, of course.)

Sitting on the couch beside Sakura was Tenten, Shino, and Temari. Naruto and Hinata were in the kitchen, Gaara and Kankuro leaned against the wall where the restroom was; the others remained scattered about. Tsunade let out a heavy sigh, "Alright, Kakashi. Let's hear it, I don't have all day." At the same time, Ino crossed the room to squeeze in between Tenten next to Sakura; leaning in and placing small kiss on Sakura's temple, muttering something so low Kakashi couldn't hear.

"Alright," Kakashi commenced, "for those of you who haven't met Sakura; Sakura, this is Neji, Tenten, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara. You guys, this is Sakura. You should all know that she had become a target of Sota, the man whose group we happen to be chasing after. As you should also all know, she was attacked at the diner by one of his men, who wholly intended to drug her and kidnap her. From my understanding, Gaara, he was told by Sota to rough her up pretty good before hand?"

Gaara raised his chin in a slow nod, arms crossed over his chest. "He was told to, 'beat her near death before drugging her,'" Gaara supplemented darkly, calm and smooth.

"Right. We all know by now what type of man Sota is. He's not going to stop until he's either got his hands on Sakura, or she's dead. That being said, because she was dragged into the club during a sting, it's our responsibility to protect her and make sure she's safe. Sakura cannot stay at her apartment—they know she lives there. We don't know if they know her room exactly, but the man who attacked her followed us from the complex to the diner; there's no other way."

"So what do you suppose we do?" Tsunade challenged, honey-brown eyes narrowed.

"I'll tell you," Kakashi equally returned. "She will be staying at my house, the one that's thirty minutes outside of Tokyo. She's already been given a month off from the hospital to heal from her wounds."

Neji rocked his head, "You understand it'll take longer than a month. We've been on Sota's case for months. Every time we get close, he slips out of our hands."

"I understand that," Kakashi leveled, his palm flat to the ground in Neji's direction. "But Sota is sloppy. He already stuck his neck out by having her attacked in the setting she was in—shining a big light on him and his crew."

"Yeah, but they're like roaches," Neji claimed. "They'll just scatter. I can guarantee he'll stay off the map for at least three months until we catch sight of him again."

"We know his most recent hideout," Kiba interjected. "We can ambush him before he goes and hides under whatever sick fucking rock he hides under."

"No, I've got one better. He's expecting us to ambush him—he knows our team has been on his trail for some time. I can guarantee one of his men saw us escorting Sakura. We we will do, is tick off his order of men. He's got several main guys who works under him, those guys have grunts under them. We knock them off, squeeze them for information on where Sota goes when he hides. From what we do know, it's a place where his men aren't allowed because it would draw attention to him."

"So like a small town?" Tenten propositioned.

Kakashi nodded in affirmation, "Yes. Some small town or dusty village. Somewhere where maybe he has family, who don't know what he actually does. Our problem right now is no matter how close we get to Sota, he either takes off too soon due to intel; or we've got like twenty of his men to take down. We can't just sneak in and assassinate him. We've got to infiltrate his men. Once we find out where exactly he's going to—because I can guarantee only a few of his guys know, and we don't know who—we can monitor him. We'll spook him, making him feel like he's about to be attacked just enough for him to take off. Once we know he's heading out of town, we'll remain in the town or village of where ever he's staying. We can take him out there, because he's got no men waiting on him. If there is family, chances are they don't fight."

"We can't kill him," Shino reminded deeply from his side of the room. "The detectives have been wanting this man for over a year now, and only recently assigned him to us."

Kakashi's jaw set, "Unfortunately. But, if he fights and your life is in danger, then do what you must to protect yourself."

"If he dies, he dies." Kiba remarked rigidly.

"If he dies, he dies…" Kakashi echoed.

"So, if the detectives want him, does that mean we're getting paid for this job?" Kankuro inquired, his tone agitated.

"Of course. Kaito already agreed to pay. It'll be for each man we bring in, for each job we go out on, and ultimately for Sota. With the information we've got now, we'll start there. We've got a short list of some of his main grunts, so we'll start there. Each job will be a three man job. We'll meet up here, and then take off once we've got everything together."

"I'll assemble the teams based on Sota's men," Tsunade commented behind crossed hands.

"And what about Sakura?" Ino urged from the couch. "We can't leave her alone at the house, especially not in the first month."

Kakashi's eyebrow quirked, "Did Himari call you?"

Ino grinned, "She did, just as you all left the hospital. She wanted to make sure Sakura was taken care of."

"Naturally…" Kakashi took in a breath, glancing over at Sakura briefly before continuing. "About Sakura. Right now, she is extremely injured to the point that she had to be heavily monitored for the first month, especially. For the most part, only a few of us will be doing the major watching—especially in regards to taking care of her. But, this is a team effort. There are times I'll be gone on a job for this, so we'll be trading off on shifts if we need to, just like at the hospital. She cannot be alone, we can't underestimate Sota nor his men."

"We'll get the job done!" Naruto shouted happily, leaping in the air. "Don't worry, Sakura. No one will hurt you, I'll make sure of it!" Naruto jutted a thumb at his chest proudly, "We'll catch that bastard Sota and fuck him up really good for you. Oh, and Hinata said she'll help you shower too, if you don't want Kakashi to which I don't blame you, you two haven't even had a first date yet so that would be—"

"Naruto!" Hinata hissed, slapping the whiskered man on the shoulder.

"What? We're helping her, you said that you'd help her sho—"

"You're not supposed to just say that out loud," Hinata continued to hiss.

Sakura flinched back in shock some, glancing around the room, "Um…"

Ino raised her small hand in the air, "I can help you, too, Sakura! I mean I'm a nurse, I help people shower all the time. What am I saying," she giggled, "you're a nurse, you already know."

"And if they can't help, I can," Tenten added sweetly, leaning over to smile at Sakura.

"I wanna party in the shower, too," Temari grinned.

"Um…" Sakura reeled slightly, blinking rapidly. "I mean…thank you? You really don't have to. I can do it by myself, honestly."

Everyone deadpanned.  
Even Kankuro and Gaara.

"Don't be stupid," Kiba scoffed. "Himari even told _me_ how to take care of you."

"Who does she take me for…?" Kakashi muttered under his breath, bewildered. How many people did she talk to?

"I'm not stupid," Sakura bit back. "I'm just saying, it's really not that big of a deal. You're doing enough as it is, the last thing we need is someone coming over and giving me showers."

"You're a little stupid," Ino stated matter-of-factly. "Just from sitting next to you, I can obviously tell how hurt you are. Himari read off your chart to me, down to the very detail of damage. This is all for your best interest, Sakura. We aren't here to patronize you, we just want to help you however we can."

"I don't understand why," Sakura muttered thickly.

"Because," Tsunade spoke up, "you're apart of the family now, whether you like it or not. We take care of our own."

"Technically," Sakura hedged, "I'm not. I wasn't born into your organization."

Tsunade chuckled, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I guess you don't understand now, and I don't blame you. But you will. We're tight knit. You're apart of Kakashi, Kakashi is one of us; that makes you one of us."

Sakura sat up straight, hands raised up in front of her; crossing them back and forth. "Oh, no. We aren't—I mean, I'm not—it's not like that, we—"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, incurious, "Right." She leaned back into her chair with a sigh, "Whatever you say, Sakura. Regardless, you're in safe hands. This team is one of the best around—even the other half of our chapter pales compared to us."

"Tch," Shikamaru scoffed. "You can say that again. That Might Guy is always going on and on about—"

"The power of youth," Tenten drawled with a heavy roll of her eyes.

"Guy isn't bad," Lee remarked defensively. "Guy and I train all the time together, he's really great."

"Yeah, if by great you mean overly-intense and obnoxious," Shika grunted. "You only took a shine to your buddy because you two happened to have the same hair."

Lee ran a hand over his hair, mussing up the black locks. "Not even," he mumbled. "Besides, if _anyone_ should be irritated with Guy, it should be Kakashi. Any chance they see each other, _something _is going down between them. Didn't you two fight for like, four whole hours once?"

Kakashi, who had moved to sit halfway on Tsunade's desk, plucked a shoulder, "Something like that. He kept saying something like," Kakashi's brows furrowed, his gaze hardening and widening to mock Guy's intensity. "'A real man boasts endless stamina! I could fight for hours on end and never tire!'" He made his voice boisterous, projecting it loudly in the same manner Guy talks; forearm help up in the air, his hand balled into a fist.

"Remind me," Tsunade chuckled, "who won?"

"Me, by two minutes," Kakashi beamed, relaxing his voice and pose.

"There's another half of your chapter?" Sakura piqued. "This isn't the whole team?"

"There's a lot of us, yes," Tsunade answered, slapping the Rubric cube out of Kakashi's hand. "But to cover our area, we split in two. We see each other a lot, we work on a lot of the same jobs together. Recently, however, we've both been on some intensive jobs that neither can really help the other with at the moment. But more often than not, they're hanging around here since their version of a safe house is Guy's basement."

Sakura hummed and nodded.

Kakashi clapped his hands together, "Alright. We've got a game plan. Be on call, in case we need to switch shifts, or if something comes up. Watch your backs." He slid off of the desk, knocking papers off in the process and warranting him a string of swear words from Tsunade. He ambled to stand in front of Ino and Sakura, "I've got to go get food for the house. Ino, can you, Hinata, and Kiba take Sakura to her apartment so she can pack her things? Call me when you get there, call me when you're done, and then let me know when you're on the way to the house and at the house."

Ino's lid's lowered, "Really? We can handle it."

"I know you can, Ino. But we need to know where you are at in intervals, so if something does happen we can go from your last location. Remember, these men know were Sakura live. They very well could be scouting around the complex," Kakashi returned, matching Ino's irritated gaze.

"Shouldn't we just take her to the house then?" Kiba suggested. "Have Ino and Hinata go to the apartment complex to gather Sakura's things, I'll take her to the house. Chances are, if they are scouting, they'll notice Sakura walking in and they will attack."

Kakashi paused, deliberating.

"But, my stuff," Sakura piped up, her face drawn in worry.

Ino smiled, rubbing Sakura's shoulder soothingly, "Just tell us what you want packed and we'll pack it."

"What about my pets?"

"I already took care of it," Ino replied immediately. "Your pets, along with Kakashi's, are at the house. I transported them last night."

Sakura relaxed some, looking down at her thumb and picking at the skin there. Tension was written all over her, along with guilt. There was no doubt her pride was screaming that she hated every second of this. Kakashi leaned over, tapping her thumbnail to get her attention, "Hey."

Sakura glanced up, expression unsure.

"Kiba is right. We'd be putting you at risk dragging you back to your apartment where they followed us from. They don't know where my house is, no one does, really. It's sort of tucked away, behind a bunch of trees, bamboo, vines…it's really hard to find if you didn't already know it was there. You'll be safe, Kiba will be with you," he tapped the top of her thumb again, making each tap a long press.

"How long will you be gone for?"

"I shouldn't be gone long. The problem is that I've got absolutely no food at the house, since I haven't been there in ages. It's in great condition, so don't worry about that. There's some other things I've got to get, too. Kiba will be there, and soon after Ino and Hinata will arrive with your stuff. Rock will be there, Chonk is there—and so are all my boys. You'll have company, you won't be left by yourself." His expression, which had been focused and earnest, turned artful and sly; his black eyes glittering humorously. His head cocked slightly, "Why, are you going to miss me, Sakura?"

Her shoulders, which had been tensed up tight, dropped immediately at his words. She lolled her head over to the side some, lids settling halfway with an unconcerned expression. "Hardly," she managed to growl.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," he hummed mischievously, straightening and towering over both women.

Ino glared, "Give her a break, you're so tacky it kills me."

Kakashi stuffed a hand in his pocket, unbothered by Ino's catty quip. "Meh, you call it tacky. I call it charming and charismatic."

"And what does Sakura call it?" Ino contested, shifting her gaze over to Sakura.

They waited, watching Sakura flick her eyes between the two.

"Well?" Kakashi pressed, cupping a hand around his ear. "I'm waiting to be wooed and acknowledged here."

"Tacky," Sakura confessed teasingly, biting on her grinning lip.

"TOLD YOU!" Ino shouted aggressively, pointing a dainty finger at Kakashi.

Kakashi leaned back, fisting his shirt in his hand where his heart is. "Ah, so that's how you really feel? And here I thought all this time, I was admired and loved and—"

"Please," Ino snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, _lover boy._"

"Alright, fine. I'll accept that I'm a tacky bastard. Sue me. Anyways, I must get going. Kiba, please look after Sakura and be careful driving there. Call me when you get there. The same goes for you Ino and Hinata. Keep me updated at all points. Once we're all at the house, we can disperse."

Hinata had stepped up to the small group now, leaning over the couch, "Well, I'm going to help Sakura shower tonight."

Ino shot a look back at Hinata, "Excuse you? That's the best friends job, sorry."

"Ladies, laaaddiieesss," Kakashi sang. "Stop being so eager to help Sakura shower. It's kind of creepy, and your arguing like two bad actresses at the beginning of a bad porno."

Ino and Hinata glared at him. Kakashi laughed, rubbing the back of his head and taking a nervous step back from them. "What I _meant_ to say is that your kindness is residual across the land. I'm sure the three of you can figure out whose going to do what. Either way, I really appreciate your help. Now, if you'll excuse me," Kakashi leaned in on his left foot, kissing Sakura's temple and regarding her expression of surprise when he pulled away. Exiting the building, despite the same tight feeling he's had in his chest since all of this began, he grinned to himself. She probably wasn't expecting him to do that in front of the team, but to Kakashi it was more than just a peck.  
It was a clear statement to every single person in that room, and an obvious point to Sakura.

She was a part of him, and he was a part of her.  
One was not without the other, their stars of their separate skies fully integrated into their own glimmering constellation.


	14. Trust

Every single person in the room was uniquely beautiful in their own way. Sakura found herself stealing glances at each person, observing everyone's different but overall fit physique. The woman next to her was Tenten; she had space buns like Ibiki, her face was heart-shaped and angular, her frame was small but firm. Sakura could see where most of Tenten's strength came from, and it was her muscular thighs. Sitting next to her, they weren't over powered, but Sakura didn't doubt Tenten could squeeze a watermelon between her thighs and it explode. Sakura noticed what she figured must be a dagger on each side on Tenten's hips. Temari was fairly tall, just a foot smaller than Shikamaru. She had her hair pulled back in several pony tails, blond hair frayed out wildly at the ends. Her angled eyes matched evenly with her diamond face, brows arched in a domineering expression. Her stance was wholly commanding, her form sleek like a lioness at rest; muscles bunched up and ready to pounce at any moment.

Standing over at the table beside Shino, muttering together over some papers, was Neji. He was as tall as Shino was, though his hair was twice as long. Raven black hair hung in a low pony tail past his hips, narrowing at the tip. He wore a black headband across his forehead, the straps tied on the back of his head. What took Sakura by surprise the most was the twin pearl-gray eyes he bore, exactly the same color as Hinata's; except his eyes were angled slightly sharper than Hinata's eyes. Neji appeared almost as reserved as Shino, had it not been for him barking off some questions across the room to Naruto. Sakura wondered if Hinata and Neji happened to be siblings. At the desk, Tsunade shuffled papers and wrote vigorously; Sakura had to stop herself from openly gawking at how outrageously huge her breasts were. Tsunade's breasts put Ino's to shame by a long shot. Long blonde hair was worn in low, effortless pig tails. She had honey-brown eyes and equally thin, blond eyebrows that remained fully expressive throughout the entire exchange. By the restroom, the two men Kakashi called Kankuro and Gaara remained leaned against the wall, saying only a few subtle words over their shoulders to each other. Kankuro appeared dense and wide, however it wasn't in the same way Choji was; Kankuro was stocky, with choppy black hair that swept up and out mindlessly. His face appeared to have markings on it, in a deep purple color surrounding to accent the shape of his almond eyes; coming from his left cheek, across the bridge of his nose to his right cheek. Lines met at the peaks of his cheek bones, following the hallow of his cheeks and meeting another set of markings that lined his jaw structure and finally a triangle coming up to a peak over his chin. Leaned against the wall next to him, Gaara stood out. Brilliant red hair flashed in a disordered shock around his head, parting over his forehead to reveal a red tattoo on the right side, just above piercing blue eyes. She noticed his eyes appeared dark; however, it was the only dark that a nurse would be able to catch on and understand it was more than just tired. She suspected he suffered from a form of insomnia, though the severity was beyond her. His expression was blank, revealing nothing as cool eyes raked the room. Sakura remembered Kakashi talk about Gaara, about how he wasn't originally from this chapter but often comes around to help. In her observing, Gaara's gaze caught hers, unblinking. Sakura broke out into an awkward smile, giving a half-hearted wave and turning away to face Ino who was prattling off to Hinata about their plan. Sakura tapped Ino's shoulder to get her attention.

Ino swiveled around, "Oh! Sakura, okay. Here, tell me what you need." Ino pulled her phone out of her pocket, bringing up the notes and eyeing Sakura expectantly.

Sakura huffed out air, thinking.

She honestly wishes this didn't have to happen.

At the hospital, after Kakashi told her that she'd have to stay at his house, she was without a doubt sure she was going to be able to function on her own. Even though she knew her injuries were extensive, she had no clue it was going to be as severe as Tanaka said it would be. She figured they were all being paranoid, after what she went through, who could blame them? But the moment she stepped out of the wheel chair and began to move, that concept shattered into a million tiny pieces. She'd gone through a lot thanks to Taijutsu, Sakura was confident that her pain tolerance was higher than others; though no amount of training could prepare her for what she was feeling. Himari was in no way being dramatic in saying that she'd be feeling like she ran thousands and thousands of miles none stop. Sore was an understatement. All of her muscles felt bound together and beyond tight. If she stepped too far, stretched her arm to high—the muscles would burn and tingle, followed with a sharp jabbing pain as they refused to stretch out. They felt tender, she felt tender all over and she wondered why she didn't feel this way sitting in the hospital. Moreso, the whole shower deal seemed to be really over done; why was it such a big deal to begin with? But after Ino called her stupid, Sakura had tried to reach up to adjust her messy bun only to be met with incredible pain that immediately caused her hand to jerk back down to a tolerable position. If she couldn't even adjust her hair, how was she expected to wash it? She wasn't going to be able to tend to the wounds by herself, and secretly dread what brushing her teeth was going to entail.  
Now _that_ she was going to be sure she did on her own no matter what.

On top of the physical pain she felt in her body, there was the non-stop dizziness she felt in her head. It felt heavy, and she often had to stop herself from lolling over to the side in response. She could feel the stinging on her face, the throbbing of her stab wounds, gashes, back of her head, and right cheek. Everything pulsed and throbbed painfully with her heart beat, and she hoped that Himari had put pain meds in the bag with all the other medical supplies, too. She hated how useless she felt, considering she literally couldn't do much for herself at the moment. What's more, she was feeling engulfed by everything going on. As much as Kakashi and the others seemed to be doing their best to diffuse her tension, it didn't stop it altogether. Hearing Kiba say that they could very well strike her if they saw her come into the complex—her stomach immediately dropped and electricity jolted itself in panicked crackles throughout her chest. Her mouth went dry and she bit back the erratic breathing that threatened to fluster from the depths of her lungs. All she imagined in a flash was being grabbed again, pinned to the concrete and strangled to death. In that instant, she saw these kind people murdered, stabbed, and beat—and it would be her fault. Her palms started to sweat at the delusion, and she wanted nothing more than to cry out that maybe her going was a bad idea for everyone involved, but she couldn't find the strength to speak in that moment. Sakura had become gripped with fear, however she was glad no one had noticed it. At least, she thought no one noticed it.  
The subtle way Kiba poked her shoulder, so quick that no one else really caught it; the sudden contact jolting her out of it, followed with his suggestion of just taking her to the house.  
Sakura was thankful.

The thought of being caught in the grips of fear humiliated her. She didn't want anyone to think she was so shaken up, she wanted to be as strong as the people around her appeared. Each individual exhumed a confidence that could not be shaken, their strength a profession of their fight; no one can take them down. She felt like a child, compared to everyone in the room considering her condition. She felt like a burden that they were taking on, regardless of what Tsunade had said.

She was a part of him?

At the moment, Sakura didn't see that as a compliment or anything to put her at ease. It would be different if she felt like an equal to Kakashi, but right now that wasn't the case whatsoever. Rationally, Sakura should know that was she was feeling and the situation she was in was circumstantial and temporary; she _should_, anyways. For every self depreciating thought, she did her best to combat it with the practical one as evenly as possible. It just seemed the negative thoughts wailed in the forefront of her mind, while practicality sat in the back. As much as Sakura felt deeply ashamed and embarrassed, she knew that she couldn't just back out. By the way everyone was treating the topic of Sota, she understood he was not someone to be taken lightly. Every person was on guard, analyzing everything they could about him and his team. She knew even if she tried to take off, 1) she wouldn't get far and 2) she very well couldn't hide from the likes of him and his men. They had found her complex in an instant, followed her without being noticed, and managed to slip into the restroom to attack her without anybody picking up on his behavior. She knew she had to comply; to trust that Kakashi and his team would help to protect her. She didn't like feeling like she couldn't depend on herself, but that's what was happening right now and there was nothing she could do to change it besides hope that they get their hands on Sota soon.

Neji had said something about it taking longer than a month.  
Would it really take that long?  
When she was better, would she go back home or would she remain at Kakashi's?

The thought of staying back at her apartment by herself scared her shitless, if Sota was still out there. Something inside her told her that Kakashi wouldn't allow it, that he'd probably force her to stay at the house if it meant she'd be safe.

He was proving to be more of a quality man than any of the other's she'd met before.  
In fact, this entire team, who for the most part she just met, seemed to be made up of people she felt she could wholeheartedly trust.

To further her point, no one had any adverse reactions when Kakashi leaned in and kissed her temple. Not that she expected anyone to, however she didn't expect him to make a move so bold in front of people she barely met. What shook her was how unbothered everyone appeared to be, even Ino who seconds ago was giving him shit for being so tacky. They behaved as if he'd been kissing her all the time in front of them, making them jaded to the action.  
Not that she would mind, considering all things.

The way Kakashi made sure to hold her, his calloused hands managed to be so tender. The way he regarded her attentively, making sure she was comfortable—an act no man had ever done for her. Sakura never really liked being treated like a princess, she was a woman after all. But the look in his eyes when he skimmed her face, like she didn't look like she was ran over. His eyes lingering on her lips had her thinking foolish thoughts, given the current situation. His stare was so intense, she had to turn away to break the spell.

"Sakura?" Ino pressed, patting Sakura's shoulder lightly. "What do you want us to pack from your apartment?"

Sakura shook her head, snapping out of her train of thought, "Oh…I'm sorry."

Ino rolled her eyes, "He's hot, Sakura, we get it."

"Um—what?" Sakura uttered, leaning back to look at Ino better.

"Your boyfriend, duh."

Sakura's brows furrowed, confused. "I'm so lost right now."

"Don't play coy," Ino tapped the tip of Sakura's nose. "I saw the googly eyes you were giving Kakashi when he kissed you. You were practically drooling."

"Pfft."

Ino guffawed, "You try so hard, Sakura, but it's so obvious it hurts."

"What's so obvious?"

Ino jostled her head, skeptical, "That you're into Kakashi big time?"

Sakura tilted her head, giving Ino an exhausted expression.

Ino raised her eyebrows, hands up on either side, "Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just stating the obvious."

"Anyways," Sakura interjected tiredly. "Please pack pj's, clothes—different types just so I can have options I guess. Socks, obviously. Panties, toothpaste, my tooth brush, hair brush—all of my shower stuff that's around the edge of the tub. I have a small make up bag that's on the sink, can you grab that please?"

"Mmmhhmmm," Ino hummed, typing away on her phone. "Anything else?"

"I suppose the obvious stuff…oh, I have three blankets on my bed. One's white and very soft, one's red and white and fluffy, and one's black with blue dots. Can you grab all of those for me, too?"

Ino's brow quirked, "Three blankets, really?"

Sakura shrugged defensively, "I get cold."

"Alright, fine. So, the obvious stuff, a selection of clothes, toiletries, make up, blankets—anything else? Anything…private?" Ino leaned in and winked.

"Private?"

"You know," Ino wiggled her shoulders and hips, making her eyebrows dance up and down. "Something a little more…_naughty_?"

Sakura glowered, "No."

"Mh." Ino shrugged fecklessly, turning her attention back to her phone. "Not like you'll need it living with Kakashi anyways."

At this, Sakura couldn't help the gasp that blurted itself out of her mouth. She wanted to slap Ino across the arm, but knew the action would warrant the stabbing pain she had been working hard on avoiding since its' genesis. Ino glanced over at Sakura from the corner of her eye, grinning impishly.

"You're being bad," Sakura admonished with a scowl.

"I'm just saying," Ino sing-songed, pushing the phone deep into her small pocket. "There's a reason we call him lover boy."

Sakura didn't want to push the topic any more. Her sensibility told her that there was so much going on that Kakashi's sex drive should be the last of her worries. Regardless, curiosity burned deeply over the course of her brain, pushing her to speak before she could even stop it. "What do you mean? How do you know?"

"Well, _I _don't know personally, nor does anyone here. Kakashi isn't a kiss and tell, he's actually incredibly private when it comes to that, even with his joking around. _Bbbuuuuutttt_, that wouldn't stop the women he'd bed from opening their big mouths and talking. Most of the time, they'd have one night with him and they'd linger around the club for a week trying to get another shot at him. They'd hang around the bar, asking us bartending questions about his love life. Well, you know, they'd get several drinks in and just…talk."

Sakura didn't notice that she had leaned in, "What would they say?"

"Wwweeeellll," Ino grinned, glancing around before leaning in closer to Sakura, her voice low. "At first, I thought it was just talk. You know how chicks can get after a decent night of sex. But, there was a common theme between them. They'd say words like stamina, which is impressive because Hinata has said that Naruto is literally insane with stamina. They'd talk about how intense it was, how hot it was, how creative he is—"

"Creative?" Sakura whispered, glued to Ino's words.

"Mmmhhmmm," Ino nodded, twirling her long blond pony tail in her hand. "Positions, kinky shit, and that he's a very 'selfless lover.' One woman called him a 'big dicked sex god.'"

Sakura leaned back some, regarding Ino dubiously, "You sure she wasn't just talking him up?"

"No, because the guys—well, Naruto to be exact—have made remarks about his junk, in front of us for some stupid reason. Not that we really care, we're all like family. The guys actually tease Kakashi about it, believe it or not. Naruto calls it the iguana."

"No way," Sakura chuckled. "He's being dramatic."

Ino shrugged uncertainly, "I don't know, Sakura. Women would call him an animal, I mean shit, it must have been good if they're hanging around the club for it. The guys make remarks all the time, if you get Naruto started on it he won't shut up, he's actually bothered by it which is funny."

Sakura's mind started to buzz. Kakashi was a grown man, of course he was going to sleep with women. She shouldn't be bothered by the thought, and while she really wasn't, she wondered if he had a type of woman he'd bag, like Sasuke did. Though Sakura would never admit it out loud, _of-fucking-course_ she's thought about what sex with Kakashi would be like. She wondered if it was funny, because he was always making smart ass remarks. She'd often try to figure out what he had going on downstairs, based off of her medical knowledge—though that was never accurate, considering by the looks of some men she'd never think they were hung like a horse. She'd imagine how he'd initiate, but it only went so far sometimes. Even if she was hesitant, there was no denying the sexual tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. These were thoughts she kept to herself, so she was surprised that Ino had even brought up the topic…Well, maybe not. Ino was pretty crass, so Sakura should know to not put anything past her.

"Ino…why are you telling me this?" Sakura wondered out loud.

"I figured I'd give you something to think about to distract you from everything else," Ino answered honestly. "If you weren't already thinking about it," she winked.

From behind the couch Kiba walked around, Akamaru lumbering behind, "Are you ready, Sakura?"

Sakura glanced over to Kiba, unaware that her face was slightly pink. "Yes," she replied, taking Kiba's outstretched hand.

Despite his brutish attitude, Kiba was surprisingly gentle with Sakura; carefully guiding her to the car at her pace, hovering his hand over her back to make sure she stayed upright. Once she was in the passenger seat, he shut the door and Ino came up. "We'll see you at the house later today, we shouldn't be long in getting your stuff. Will you be okay with Kiba?"

"She'll be fine," Kiba growled from the driver's side, turning the car on and revving it. With a final wave, he took off down the street and away from Samurai.

Most of the drive was quiet, aside from Kiba asking every now and then if Sakura was feeling okay. The radio stayed on, playing some rock music that she was having a hard time understanding, but found she really liked the double bass on the drums. Behind her, Akamaru went from jutting his big white head between her and Kiba, to squeezing it through the space of her seat and the window; huffing warm dog breath in her ear. The further they drove, the more the cityscape of Tokyo began to fade to spread out suburban areas. Concrete sidewalks gave way to dense trees and grassy hills, sections of bamboo shoots, and a pond speckled here and there. They'd passed playgrounds with kids all over it beside an elementary school. They turned down winding roads, until eventually they were met with the pure green thickness of nature. Sakura found herself equally captivated by the greenery, as she had been by the city. She turned her head in Kiba's direction. His eyes were furrowed with focus, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gear shift.

Sakura spoke up, "How far until we get there?"

Kiba shook his head, jutting his lip out. "Not long."

Sakura nodded, "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" Kiba grunted.

"For all of this."

"Bah," Kiba waved at her dismissively. "It's not a big deal. Well, I take that back; it is a big deal, but what I mean is that we aren't bothered by it. You're an ass, but I guess you're our ass, now."

"I don't understand why that keeps getting tossed around," Sakura expressed frustratedly. "I mean yeah, I asked him out, but we haven't even had a first date yet. We only know each other a little bit, and for the most part you and your team barely know me. Why is everyone so gun-ho on including me in on something I'm clearly not a part of?"

Kiba glanced over at Sakura, "He hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?" Sakura inquired, eyebrows flinching downwards.

"Mh, I don't know if I should say..." he mumbled, turning his attention back to the road. "It's really not my place...All I can say, is that not that Kakashi is a man who can't commit—because that's far from the truth. Of the team, he's the most to follow through with what he says he's going to do...but, he's also had something pretty shitty happen to him back in the day that lead him to sort of...I don't know, I don't want to say swear off of relationships, because he never actively said it. He just sort of closed himself off emotionally from women. He wasn't bitter, he wasn't ugly to women by any means—he just kept them at a distance at all times, besides the girls on the team of course."

"What happened? Ino told me that you all call him lover boy? Hasn't he slept around with women?"

Kiba plucked a shoulder, looking both ways across the street before revving the gas and continuing forward. "Well, yeah Sakura—he is human and we all have needs. He just did it differently. Each woman he slept with, he made it distinctly clear it was just a hook up and that's it. He was never ugly or disrespectful; he just made the conditions clear, which I respect because most men just fuck around and never consider the other person's feelings. As for what happened...again," he sighed, rolling is head around quickly, "I really don't think I should be the one telling you...but, maybe if you knew then you'd understand why we all take you just as serious." Kiba peered at Sakura from the corner of his eye for a second, meeting her gaze and blinking before looking ahead again.

"Was he in a bad relationship?" Sakura queried quietly.

Kiba nodded, making a sucking sound with his lips and teeth, "You can say that. It was years ago, he must have been in his early twenties at the time. He was with this girl at the time who actually used to be a childhood crush, I think her name was Yua? They met up at like, the grocery store I think. Bumped into each other, stuff was all over the floor, you know; movie shit. They end up saying hey let's go get coffee and catch up. One thing becomes another and they're dating. Now, you should know Kakashi has always been weird about the way he regards women. While say a guy like me meets a hot babe, I'll go and brag about it all day long. Kakashi, keeps all of that to himself. He could have a solid ten hanging around him, and he wont even acknowledge it. Again, not out of being a dick or anything, that's just how he is. His love life is pretty private, compared to most guys," Kiba mused, shifting gears and wincing at the groan of the car. "So, he starts telling us he thinks she's cute and we go oh shit, he's actually brining someone up? They go on dates, eventually they move in together, and they seemed happy."

"So what was the problem?" Sakura interjected curiously. Kakashi had mentioned Yua to her at the hospital, she noted. He had told her she was the crush he asked out at the dance.

"The _problem_ is that it was all a façade. Sure, at first it may have been nice. It was only after awhile that he started showing signs of emotional drainage? He just seemed like something was bothering him all the time, but he would never talk to us about it which is weird because he'd tell us if something was up. He starts showing up less at the safehouse, not getting drinks with us, hell—he wasn't taking nearly as many jobs as he used to, and he's always taking jobs. We were all suspicious of Yua, I mean _none_ of the girls liked her, and Shino was always wary of her. One night, we managed to talk Kakashi into partying with us at the safehouse—we party once a month at least just to let some steam off, it's like a tradition. The whole time he's there, he's just a shell of a person. He's not really making jokes, he's not talking to anyone; he's just swallowing down drink after drink after drink. I mean, he lets loose every now and then, but he got _fucked up_, Sakura. Usually it's Naruto we've got to take care of, not Kakashi." Kiba shook his head, irritated. "Ino gets the bright idea that we should capitalize on getting Kakashi to talk about whatever the fuck is going on. Even drunk, it took a lot of pushing to get the man to talk...but once it came out, we didn't know how to feel."

"What did he say?"

"He starts off by telling us he was engaged—of which he never told us before. I guess he popped the question to her awhile back and while he had wanted to tell us, the way she was behaving made him second guess it. Then, he just lets it all out. Apparently, Yua was a manipulating nightmare, a narcissist always twisting his words on him, always arguing with him—you name it. She was always using him for money, she'd ask for thousands at a time for business trips because she was a travelling agent for a magazine company. Sometimes she'd ask for it, but then blow it on clothes, make up, you name it. If he didn't have the money, she'd freak out on him. Calling him names, calling him a failure, breaking up with him, acting like she's going to move out. She'd break shit, she'd threaten to take the dogs even though they were _his_ dogs. She'd want to know where he was at, all the time. She'd blow up his phone, one time we were about to take off for a job and she no-shit called him _forty times_ in one sitting. We were having a meeting and she would not stop. She was crazy jealous, always arguing with him about the girls on the team. She accused him of cheating all the time, she would steal his phone and lock herself in the restroom and just go through it. Once they had an argument so bad that, while he was away on a job, she literally took ALL of his dogs and dropped every single one of them off at the pound—a fucking pound. She disappeared for a week after, he couldn't reach her, her parents didn't know where she was at, nothing."

"Oh my god..." Sakura muttered under her breath.

"Yeah. During this whole time, Kakashi is actively freaking out. He loves his dogs, they're his kids, man. He's a wreck, he doesn't know where they're at. At day five, around like two in the morning, he gets a call from an unknown number and it's Yua. Turns out, she's in Hong Kong with a friend. She tells him that his dogs are going to be put down because the pound can't find the owner, but she's not telling him where they're at. She says that the only way she'll tell him where they're at is if he'll say sorry—even though it wasn't his fault to begin with."

"What were they arguing over?"

"Ah," Kiba chuckled bitterly. "Get this. I guess one of the times she was lurking his phone, she found his notes with passwords and security question answers to all of his banking apps. She snapped a pic of the passwords, downloaded the apps on her phone, and logged in. She starts transferring money from his bank to hers, leaving him with essentially ten bucks across all of his banks. She then all of a sudden has a business trip she has to go to, he knew she took the money, and that's where it started. So she wanted him to apologize, she told him that it was his job to provide for her no matter what. He was so desperate to get his boys back that he agreed. She tells him, and bright and early the very next day he goes with him and he arrived there just in the nick of time; they were quite literally about to put them down. And that's just one instance, dude. There's tons more, like ones of her asking him for threesomes and shit. Kakashi may be a freak, but he's pretty possessive so he doesn't share. She'd lose her shit and take off for a week—then come back like nothing happened. She would tell him how much she hated us and didn't understand why he was with us all the time."

"Did she know about the organization?" Sakura pressed.

"Actually," Kiba commented, "she didn't. She thought that he just worked for the club. He just said he never felt like she was ready for that information yet. If he was with us, she would literally lose her shit. She'd drive to the club and be all sweet to us, but in reality it was like a sign that she's going to fucking snap. She'd go out and party, purposely acting extremely slutty to try to get Kakashi jealous, of which he isn't. She'd tell him he was weak, all this shit. So, then he tells us that when his dad passed away, she was a nightmare. She'd throw it in his face all the time after that. Calling him a coward, saying his lineage was weak, saying the world would be better off if it died with Kakashi. Blaming his dad's death on Kakashi, all this crazy shit."

Sakura scoffed, "Then why didn't he just leave her?"

Kiba pressed his lips tight, shaking his head, "We asked him the same shit. He said at first, he knew she had a bad upbringing and he thought it was because of that. Afterwards, he told us that he actively would try to leave her and she would pull some crazy shit that pretty much twisted his arm behind his back in having to stay with her until he could formulate a plan to get rid of her. After the dog incident, which happened after his dad passed, he laid his foot down and said that's it, you're gone, I'm done. Lo and behold, she gets all weepy and goes to the restroom and comes back to give him a positive pregnancy test."

"No fucking way," Sakura gasped, incredulous.

"Fucking way. We by this point are fucking baffled. We ask him why he didn't tell us, and he said that he just felt like something was off. They go to the doctor, sure enough she's knocked up. She starts telling him she's going to change for him and the baby, blah blah blah. Kakashi may not let on, but he's a family man. He's got a soft spot for kids, and he's told us he'd love nothing more than to have a kid if it were in his cards. Naturally he thinks, oh fuck I've got to hunker down. He told us that initially he panicked, he was young and he didn't want a baby, but that Yua was INSISTENT on having the baby. He could do nothing but respect her choice. He said about five months in, her business trips start getting more and more frequent. What was twice a month turned into once a week, and she'd be gone for like four days at a time. At the very same time, she was pulling a lot of money right before these trips- I'm talking thousands of dollars, Sakura. He'd ask her about the trips and she always had some excuse. He told us that she told him she was in Hong Kong. Kakashi did some sleuthing, and by sleuthing I mean he followed her; which isn't in his character, he's always been someone to give others space. He follows her, she ends up in some really rich ass neighborhood. She walks into what he said was the biggest house on the block. He said he sat in the car watching them and that she stayed at the house from the afternoon until nine, where he saw her walk out all dressed up with some man. They take off to some fancy ass restaurant, and while they're at the place eating the man gets down on one knee in front of everyone and proposes to her!"

"You're kidding me," Sakura gawked.

"Nope. We asked him what he did—shit, if that was me I would of ran up there and fucking raged. Not Kakashi. He's always scary calm, no matter the situation. He told us that she got all weepy, made this big dramatic scene and crying yes and they were kissing and all this shit. They leave, head back to the house and he follows them. At this point, he does go into the house and pretty much walks in on them fucking. He said that she had never looked so freaked out in her whole life. The man was a coward, freaking out and yelling at Kakashi to leave or he'll call the cops. Kakahsi said that for a moment, he didn't know what to do. He said he just stood there and stared at them, and then something snapped. Whatever hold she had on him, or whatever she could manage to threaten him with suddenly loss its' weight. He said that he grabbed the man, twisted his arms behind his back, and held him there to interrogate Yua. The man was screaming like a bitch, Yua was panicking. He said that he told her if she doesn't tell the truth, and the whole truth, he'll fuck her buddy up real good and then report her to the police for theft because he essentially has record of her accessing his bank account and withdrawing money without his permission. She comes from a rich family, so if she went to jail that's it for her. So, she caves. She tells him that all the money she had been taking from him was to come to see the other man, to go to fancy events with him, and that some she even saved to help pay the down payment on the house that man had. Her and that man had been seeing each other for _five years._ The man was in school when they met, so she never had the money to go see him as often as she wanted. He just graduated college when Yua met Kakashi, and the man hadn't saved enough to get a house for them. Yua's plan was to purely milk Kakashi for all the money she could, for as long as possible to pay for the house and apparently a couple cars, too. She told him that when they got everything they needed, she was going to leave him. The man had an idea of what she was doing, but she told the man that Kakashi was a sugar daddy and that was it."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Sakura growled angrily. "And what about the baby?"

"Mmh, that's where it gets better," Kiba hummed, pulling down a narrow road. "Kakashi said that he asked her about the baby—she was showing at this point. He had formed a bond with the idea of this baby, you know. She tells him that it's not his baby, it's her lover's baby and that Kakashi was essentially a bank to provide for the shit they needed for the baby. He tells her that he never wants to see her again. He takes a plane home, he said he burned all of her shit as soon as he got home. After that, he said he was a wreck because he had to mourn a baby that wasn't his. He said he'd never felt more stupid in his entire life. He said it was time wasted, and that letting someone in like that was a mistake. Once he told us all that, we did our best to help him feel better. After some time, he got back to being the Kakashi we knew, but he was only a little different. Hurt and jaded. He continued to live his life, but any woman that showed the slightest interest in being with him he'd very carefully distance himself from. We got so used to him just hooking up that we figured he'd never settle again—and who could blame him? Because after all that, then suddenly these dudes start stepping forward out of the blue asking Kakashi if he knew her. Come to find out, she had been actively cheating on him—and i guess her lover- the whole time. She'd sleep with men for money all the time. They'd come to apologize to him, saying that they didn't know she was with him, let alone someone else. Some of them said that she'd steal their money. That just sort of furthered whatever idea he had in his head that he wasn't meant to be in a relationship. Again, he was never bitter about it just...careless, is the best way I could put it. Time passes, and he's healed you know. Life is great, he was happy living the way he was living. Then you come along and he's all wrapped up in you. One of the first things he told us was how beautiful he thought you were, which again he never really talks about the way a woman looks. We never thought after an experience like that he'd commit to someone, yet he was wholly committed. Not in a creepy way, Sakura. Just...determined, I guess. His eyes light up in this way when he talks about you, it's wild. So, what this all boils down to is that he's really committed to doing right by you, and so are we. The moment he brought you up, we just knew."

Sakura didn't know how to feel. Seeing Kakashi, she would have never known him to experience going through that, he was always so relaxed and always so..._Kakashi._ She felt connected to him in a deeper sense now, knowing what she knows. His experience isn't that off from her's with Sasuke. He probably felt just as trapped as she did at the time, feeling like there's no way out. Deep in her gut, Sakura felt injustice rise like bile. She hated the thought of someone being so ugly, taking advantage of his kindness. Of giving him the idea he was going to have a child, and then rip it away. To basically tell him he was only a bank to her, and nothing more. He must of felt so worthless, so useless. He must have felt awful all the time, and she hated it. She hated the image of him not making smart ass remarks, or grinning like he's got an inside joke going on 24/7. She hated that the things he loved were used as weapons against him, and she never related so hard in her life.

"Do you think he loved her?" She pressed.

"No," Kiba answered instantly. "He told us himself that he didn't. He said in the beginning, he thought maybe he loved her. But Yua is so manipulative, and he was so young and naïve, that he just got sucked in to her traps. He said he stopped loving her long before he even proposed, but that he only proposed to her because she guilted him into it. He also had an inkling that the baby wasn't his—apparently they hadn't had sex in awhile because she was always making him feel like shit."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he told us she would always ask for threesomes. Or she'd ask if she could fuck someone else and he'd watch. Again, that might be someone else's kink, but he's not the type that likes to share as far as the bedroom goes. He said she'd never be responsive during sex, she'd talk about how boring he was, how much she hated it, and she'd make remarks about that mark on his face and his scar all the time. We _know_ none of what she says about him is true, I think any woman that's slept with him can contest to that. She was just getting in his head and fucking with him and again; he was still pretty young, so he didn't really know better at the time." Kiba explained.

"Poor guy," she muttered, shaking her head with an angry expression on her face. "I can't believe someone would put him through that."

"Yeah, well," Kiba shifted gears, "people like that exist and unfortunately she latched onto one of the most genuine guys I know. They're out there."

"I know all too well," Sakura remarked bitterly.

"Just, don't let yourself get freaked out by all of this. I'm just saying this to put it all into perspective for you, on how we feel about you and how he is. He's going to see everything through with you until the end."

"And what if I don't want that?" Sakura challenged guiltily.

Kiba simply shrugged, "Better to have loved and lost." He looked over at Sakura, "His words, not mine."

At this time, Kiba had turned down a gravel driveway, pulling up to a gate that was closed. Kiba parked the car and jumped out, unraveling the chain that was wrapped around the gate and the post, pushing the gate wide open. He marched to the car, hopped back in, and continued down several feet past the gate before hopping out to shut it again. Her surroundings were dense with trees, bushes, and tall grass. The driveway was bumpy, and Kiba made sure to drive over the dips as slow as he possibly could. The more he drove, a brick house began to break through the trees. The brick of the house was covered in bright green vines that climbed their way halfway up the walls, branches of trees dipped low to touch the roof of the house. There was a gray garage, with leave foliage surrounding the entire property. Though the house appeared to be decently sized, she immediately understood what Kakashi had meant about it being hard to find. No one would really suspect that there was even a house back here, only dense woods. Kiba came to a halt, shutting the car off and letting out a hefty sigh. "Hey, don't be freaked out by everything I told you...I just felt like maybe it would put it all into perspective for you? I don't want you to think he's this creep that's obsessed with you or whatever—he's just really into you, Sakura, and he's a man that sees everything through with unending patience and integrity. We had let go the idea of him settling down, you know. He's so committed to you that we can't help but be just as committed, too. Plus, we all really like you and care about you."

"No," Sakura shook her head slightly. "I don't think that at all. It does give me insight, a lot of it to be exact. It helps me understand him more, he's pretty mysterious."

Kiba chuckled, "Yeah, he's got that air about him. Just, he's got his head screwed on straight, okay? He's not some damaged dude with mommy issues. He learned his lesson and grew up."

"Why are you defending him so hard?" She piqued.

"I just don't want you to push him away, or reject him because of what I've told you today. I mean, I know he would have told you eventually, and I know I'm an asshole for saying his business anyways, but I just felt like considering everything that's going on, you might feel overwhelmed with how helpful he's being and we all are. I bet you thought that he was just after sex or some shit, right?"

"Yeah, for a little..." she admitted openly.

Kiba nodded knowingly, "It's only natural to, not a lot of guys are like him. Just, keep processing things at your pace, is all I'm saying. Don't let what I've told you make you feel like you have to commit to him. He knows full and well there's risk in losing you, but he'd rather have you accept him, if at all, into your space your own way on your own time."

"You're extremely perceptive for someone who talks shit most of the time," Sakura teased.

"Nope, I wish. I'm actually pretty dumb. He told me that."

Sakura started, staring blankly at Kiba. Her mind was running a thousand miles an hour, several different emotions flashing their way across her chest. She felt angry, sad, confused, flattered, and torn. This man's depth only drew deeper, and it honestly surprised her. She wanted to hug Kakashi and apologize on that woman's behalf for him. She wanted to tell him that she thought he was a badass, but she was sure he'd already done his healing. The man she knows now is only self-assured, telling her his experience only caused him to be reborn anew. She didn't blame him for keeping women at a distance, it's the same way she had felt after Sasuke.  
That was, until Kakashi managed to get past that hard line she drew.

Sakura felt guilty thinking that Kakashi was like any other guy at the beginning, but could she really blame herself? If she were being honest, she admired Kakashi for becoming strong and moving on from his experience, unlike her. Even if she feels like she's let it all go, some things tend to creep back; like the innate way she feels as though she has to step away from Kakashi any time he gets remotely close. She didn't want to behave that way. She had asked him out on a date, impulsively, but she said it no less and it only resembled what she was feeling. She wanted to be in his space, and she wanted to let him in her space, too. She knew it must take work, she understood she wasn't the easiest to handle when she shut down. Sakura made the active decision to work on trusting him more, even if it scared her to death.  
Life was about risk, wasn't it?  
Didn't Kakashi say what's life without a little danger?

And he was _dangerous._

What Sakura was afraid of the most was actually falling for this man. She didn't want to be back in the same place she was in when she was with Sasuke, though the fact screamed in the background that this wasn't the same. There was still this part of her that clung desperately to the hurt she felt being abandoned time and time again by Sasuke. The lonely nights crying herself to sleep, hating how stupid she felt and wondering what she did wrong. It wasn't going to be easy, but Sakura wanted to be loose of this problem. She wanted to feel freely, and to express freely. Sakura felt as though she needed to prove that she wasn't this shut away woman refusing affection.

Kiba came around to Sakura's side, assisting her out of the car and to the front door of the house. He dug in his pockets, pulling out an old gold key and unlocking the door. The dark red door cracked open, the sound of the insulation around the door making a suction noise. Kiba remarked about how he hadn't been to the house in forever, but before Sakura could reply a herd of dogs made their way to the pair in an instant; Rock being one of them. The fat pug jumped at her feet excitedly, managing to snort and howl at the same time. Sakura tried to bend down to pick him up, until she felt an agonizing sharp pain immediately pulse where her stab wounds were. She jerked up just as quick, the action causing more pain along her arms, legs, and back; as well as making her dizzy. She didn't realize it at the moment, but she had let out what sounded like a mix of a grunt and a hiss. "Sakura, don't do stupid shit like that," Kiba scolded teasingly. "Himari said you can tear open your stitches if you're not careful. Here, you go sit down on the couch and I'll give you Rock."

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Kiba guided her down the hallway that opened up to the living room. Taking in the place, Sakura decided that the home was definitely dated. The couch was a tan color, the fabric of it thin strips of felt that paid homage to households in the seventies everywhere. The floor looked to be a deep mahogany color; however, it was fairly scuffed up along the bottom of the couch and across the room. A very rectangle coffee table sat in front of the couch, marred with every day wear and tear on the top. The TV was fairly old, and it reminded her of her grandparent's TV that they refused to upgrade. Cutting the living room off from the kitchen was a wall that stood up to about Sakura's midsection, with a big cut out so anyone in the living room can see into what was going on in the kitchen any time. The kitchen had the same wood flooring, with cabinets that were a lighter brown and off-white counter tops. There was an island shaped like a bean, the bottom the same light brown color as the cabinets. The kitchen didn't seem to have much going on; there was an old stove, black fridge, microwave, and no dishwasher. Just several feet to the left of the kitchen was a smaller section jutting out that acted as the dining room that had a fair-sized beige table with six chairs that had decorative pillows of Cardinals on the seats. If Kakashi had an affinity for the seventies, his dad must have followed suit due to the overall style of the house.

Surrounding Sakura as she walked was the crowd of dogs. Kakashi's dogs, Sakura's dog, and even Akamaru had left Kiba's side to join in on the party. Though none of them leapt on her, they did jump around with excited yips, tails wagging aggressively. Once Sakura managed to sit herself down, Rock and Bull were the first two to leap up on the couch; Rock directly in her lap and Bull posing on her left. Kiba walked into the kitchen, muttering something about the water; turning on the faucet and emitting a surprised grunt when water sputtered out. He rubbed his hands together, finding the thermostat and turning on the heat. "There," he stated evenly. "It's fucking freezing in here." He opened his mouth to say something else when his phone rang. Kiba dug it out, "Hello?" He glanced around the room, zipping out of the kitchen, through the living room, and down another hall. "Uuuhhh...yes, there is...seems pretty sturdy, too...No, no I wouldn't. Wait, how did you know we were here already?" There was a four-minute pause before he spoke again, now standing in the living room, peering out the window. "Yeah, they're all fine. She turned the water on, too, so that's good...Um," he turned to glance at Sakura. "How are you feeling—and don't bullshit me, Saku."

Sakura scowled, "I feel awful, and I'm not bullshitting you."

"Hn, she says she's feeling awful...Uh, Sakura is the bag Himari gave us with all the medical stuff in the car?"

"No," she responded matter-of-factly. "I think Ino or Hinata had it."

Kiba huffed, "Tweedle-Dee or Tweedle-Dum have it...Uh-huh...No, I can call them. You're doing what?" Kiba paced across to the other window, squinting his eyes to get a good look at something. "When...? Okay, sure. Er—what type of soup do you like?" He turned to Sakura again.

"Umm.." Sakura deliberated, rubbing Rock's ear. "I like tomato soup, chicken, broth..."

Kiba ticked off the flavors Sakura gave him, following up with something about "just make sure it tastes good, this isn't Hell's Kitchen." Several more minutes passed of Kiba talking before he hung up the phone, dialed another number, and began talking to who she could only assume was Ino when Kiba said, "Ino-Bobino." By the time he was done talking on the phone, Sakura had her head tilted back on the couch, eyes closed. She hadn't realized just how tired her body was, even with the minimal movement she's made. Her head seemed to be swimming, and what medicine they had given her at the hospital had worn off completely. She was feeling everything, and she could barely formulate a thought. "Sakura?"

She snapped her eyes open to Kiba leaned halfway over, waving a palm in front of her; his brows pinched together.

"Are you okay? You're looking like you're feeling it," he remarked worridly.

Sakura let out a low sigh, "Honestly, yes. I told you, I'm feeling awful. The meds have completely worn off so everything is just..."

"Oh," Kiba interjected deplorably. "I get it. Is there anything I can do? Ino said that they're almost at your apartment, so once they're done there they'll be here in no time."

"It's fine," Sakura waved. "I'll be fine. I'll probably sleep, if I can."

"Okay, I've got things around here I've got to do, but I'll try to be as quiet as I can."  
########################################################################################

She didn't know how long she had been asleep for, but that it was the loud alarm in Kiba's voice that caused her to jostle awake, dread instantly setting in. She stood up, whipping her head around wildly and crouching down despite how much pain it caused her. The dogs had dispersed around her and she felt so frenzied that she couldn't make heads or tails of what was happening. Sakura squeezed her hands into tight fists, ignoring the resistance she felt there because of the swollen flesh. "Kiba?!" She shouted erratically, flicking her eyes all across the room. The footsteps to her left caused her to whip around, screaming when hands came up to catch hers.

"Sakura! Hey—hey, hey hey—calm down—it's me, it's me! It's Kiba—SAKURA!" Kiba held tight onto her wrists after dodging the blows she was blindly trying to strike. He held her wrists out, leaning in to level his eyes with his.

Sakura froze, her whole body tense with shock. She took in a deep breath, blinking back the tears that threatened to form.

Kiba regarded her with concern, "It's just me, dude. You're fine."

"What was that?" She rasped, swallowing the lump in her throat; eyes still wildly flicking around.

Kiba's concerned expression hardened some, as though he was holding something back, "It was nothing, Sakura."

She squinted, "You're lying."

He glanced over to her right hand, "You cracked open some of the scabs on your knuckles. You should go to the sink and clean that up."

She jerked her wrists back, yelping when her body responded to the pain. She tucked her arms down to her sides, closing her eyes and counting down from ten. She immediately regretted her flurry of movements, even in her panic. Everything that had already been pulsing now began to burn and sting at a level way more intense than she had experienced before. Sakura moved to hunch over, hoping it would help with managing, but Kiba stuck out a hand to keep her upright. "You can't do that, Sakura. You're seriously going to re-open those stab wounds—Himari was clear."

She rolled her neck, "I need you to tell me why you were yelling, Kiba. I can't relax until I know what's going on, please."

Kiba growled under his breath, muttering and marching into the kitchen to grab a small dish towel from a drawer. He stood back in front of her, reaching down and wrapping it around her bleeding knuckles. "I'm not supposed to tell you."

"You've told me a lot of things today you weren't supposed to tell me," she rebutted severely.

He scoffed.

"Please," she entreated.

"Fine. Just, don't freak out and try to knock my block off, okay? And don't forget that you are really safe with us, really," he began. "Ino called me..."

"And?" Sakura pressed anxiously.

Kiba sighed hard, running his hand over his hair, "Fuck, dude. You're going to freak out. I just know it."

"Just _tell me_."

"You're a bully," he stated begrudgingly.

"You're stalling," she bit back.

"O-K-A-Y S-A-K-U-R-A," he enunciated, annoyed. "Ino and Hinata went to the complex to get your shit. When they were at your door, they noticed that it was already unlocked, but Ino says she locked it after she got your pets. Sota had sent his men to ransack your apartment."

Sakura gasped, "Are they okay? Did they attack her and Hinata?"

Kiba raised his hands up, palms facing Sakura. "They're fine. No one was there when they showed up. But all of your shit is wrecked."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, they fucked all of your shit up. Couch, bed, pillows, clothes—everything. Everything was thrown around, stomped on, slashed. Food was all over the place, your clothes were in a pile in the kitchen that they gathered and lit on fire," Kiba explained carefully.

"All of my clothes?"

Kiba closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, "Everything, Sakura. The Yakuza do things like this, it's a clear message. To you, _and_ to us."

She grimaced, feeling her palms going sweaty. "What do you mean message? What are they going to do?"

"That's not something you need to worry about. All you need to know is that we have got it under control."

"What about my stuff?" She piqued, her raspy voice an octave higher. "I can't go buy clothes, I can't even hold my own fucking arms up without-"

"Hey," Kiba interjected calmly, "just relax. Like I said, it's under control. In fact, I have to call Ino back because I hung up to make sure you didn't lose your shit, fists of fury. Seriously, you are in severe pain and you managed to find the energy to fuck me up as best as you can?"

Sakura couldn't focus. As much as she wanted to acknowledge that Kiba was trying to get her to laugh, she just couldn't. She was too busy fretting over the fact that her apartment had been broken into. All of her stuff gone through, burned—she felt violated. She worried about what would of happened if Sota's men were still there when Hinata and Ino had shown up. She worried about what if her pets had still been there, what they would of done to them...

The ringing of her phone snapped her out of her frenzy. She reached for it, slowly picking it up to her ear after several beats, "Hello."

"Sakura, I need to know what size you are." It was Ino.

"Ino!" Sakura breathed. "Oh my fucking god, are you okay? Is Hinata okay? Where are you?"

There was silence on the other end.

"Ino?"

"Did Kiba tell you?" Ino bit, her voice hard edged and openly irritated.

"He did—but only because I made him." Sakura digressed immediately.

Ino scoffed, "What a great fucking Nin he is. Yes, we are fine."

"Is all of my stuff really trashed? Kiba said they burned all of my clothes in the kitchen?"

"Unfortunately, yes. They don't miss a thing when they do this. Just trust that we've got it handled. Now, I need to know what size you are." Ino continued, her once harsh tone now back to her normal lilted one.

Sakura ticked off the sizes to Ino, and as much as she tried to keep her voice level, she couldn't stop the tremoring in her tone.

"Honey," Ino sang softly. "You need to relax. We didn't want to tell you because you are supposed to be stress free—remember? Please just _trust us_ and relax. We can't risk you having another seizure, you'll end up in the hospital for good. I am going to grab some clothes for you-"

"Ino, you don't have to do that," Sakura started in a fluster.

"What are you going to wear, hmmm? Kakashi's stinky sweats? No thank you. We are just going to grab you some things, nothing crazy so don't worry."

"I can send you the money for it," Sakura offered.

Ino laughed, "Don't even. Save your money, sis. I am a bargain shopper, I find all the cutest shit for a good ass price, so it's nothing. Kakashi told me you're in a lot of pain, right? What level are you at?"

"Eight."

"Alright, well in that case I'm sending Hinata over there with the medicine and I'll get your clothes for you. For now, try to actively rest some. You're probably really exhausted," Ino chided tenderly.

"Okay..." Sakura breathed, gripping the phone hard.

"RELAX. I'll see you in a little bit. Bye."

The line went dead.

Eventually Sakura moved to the couch again, cursing under her breath and breathing slowly through the throbbing pain she felt all over her entire body. She felt like her mind was at war. The first response she felt and thought was absolute fear. It was images of her attacker's hateful face laughing at her. Then it was Kiba's voice, Ino's voice, and even Kakashi's voice telling her to trust them; a unison of people consistently reminding her she's safe. That she's in capable hands, that the shit is being handled and she shouldn't stress. Stress meant seizure and that's the last thing she needed.  
Sakura counted backwards from 100, breathing deeply with each number. After 32, the panic had ebbed away only slightly, but it was just enough for her to fall back asleep again.

There was a light, delicate prodding on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura jerked forward into Hinata's open hand, pausing when Hinata kept her hand firm in place to stop Sakura. Pearl eyes searched Sakura's face sweetly, and she ran a hand across Sakura's forehead. "You're sweating, Sakura. You feel really hot. Here," she moved to plop next to Sakura, dragging a bag across her lap, "I've got your medicine." One by one Hinata handed Sakura medicine, of which Sakura wordlessly took. She was just happy to be taking something, anything to at least take the edge off of what she was feeling. At the same time, Kiba walked into the house with two other men who followed him down the hall.

"Whose that?" Sakura inquired, sipping on the water Hinata had given her. She hated the stinging sensation she felt with every sip she swallowed.

"They're furniture delivery men," Hinata answered, pulling out the throat spray in the bag and handing it to Sakura. "Here, this might help some."

"Thank you," Sakura sighed, spraying several squirts to make sure her throat was coated evenly. Upon contact, she felt an immediate warming that helped soothe the soreness some. "What are they here for?"

"Oh, well I think Kakashi said something about the bed in the bedroom being like, really, really old. So, he bought a new one and had it delivered here while he's still out getting some things," Hinata answered casually.

Sakura started, "He bought a brand new _bed?"_

Hinata nodded, "Yep. But don't mistake him—he's not like this big spender. I mean, yeah he makes good money—we all do. He's just not one to flaunt it or spend it on useless things. So don't think he's trying to show off or anything, he's just getting the stuff for the house to accommodate you."

Sakura felt a little confused and overwhelmed. Everyone seemed to be defending Kakashi at all angles today, and she wasn't even initiating it. The beans were being spilled and all she could do was process the information. Iguana dicks, horrible relationship, and Mr. MoneyBags who lives humbly. She almost wondered if this was planned, or were they all really tight knit like that, to have each other's backs all the time.  
She figured it was the latter.

Kiba and the two men came back out of the room after some clattering around, dragging the old bed out. Sakura turned her attention back to Hinata, "Where's Ino?"

"Um, last I checked she was at the mall," Hinata hummed. "She said she was almost done, so she should be here within the next hour or so."

"And Kakashi?"

"I think he said he was at the grocery store, getting food and stuff. It's been more than four hours, so everyone else should be here pretty soon. How are you feeling?"

Sakura sighed, "Shitty."

"I'm sorry," Hinata frowned, patting Sakura's knee. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm just..." Sakura shook her head. "Scared. Confused. Overwhelmed. Hurting. Angry. Sad."

Hinata nodded knowingly, "I bet you're feeling a lot of things right now, Sakura. Even though you've probably heard it a million times from all of us, but please—_trust us_."

Sakura glanced over at Hinata, her expression stressed, "I do. I guess I just need time to process everything..."

"Take all the time you need," Hinata reassured sweetly. "I wouldn't expect you to have all of these feelings resolved in two days. Just understand that we understand."

Sakura nodded. She wanted to know, she wanted to just relax and trust that everything was going to work out. But she failed to shake the sinking feeling deep in her gut that something was going to go wrong, it was always her luck. She was afraid someone else was going to get hurt because of her. She was mad that she couldn't contribute in the slightest.

She wanted to let go of her anxiety and breathe easy, but that was not a feat she was soon going to be able to accomplish.


	15. Settled Again

**Hey yall! I just wanted to say I love your reviews, they're so awesome and they make me so happy! Also, I'd like to just add a friendly reminder that this rendition is an alternate universe, so the roles of the characters can be/are altered differently for this specific story! For the most part, I've stuck tried and true to the characters, but I really wanted to change the dynamics—point and case, Kakashi not being a teacher, but being bonded with these people as an overall team brotherhood/sisterhood aspect. As well, someone had mentioned that the nicknames I've used aren't typical with Japanese culture and you're absolutely right! However, again this is an alternate universe, and additionally I make these characters give each other the nicknames to sort of blur the lines between them- to show just how tight knit they are, in the manner that they're always trying to bust each other's balls and they're all just one big, fucked up, not perfect at all family. I hope yall are enjoying this, as I am really loving writing it. Like I've said before, things on here are rated M for a reason, this is a LEMON, and no—Epstein didn't kill himself. If you leave a review, I won't pull an early 2000's Brit and shave my head bald. Or maybe I will. Happy reading, kitties!**

They fucking broke into her apartment.  
He should of some it coming, they all should have.

When Ino called Kakashi explaining to him that Sakura's place was absolutely trashed, he had to actively bite the inside of his cheek to keep from tracing the fucker's steps himself. Even before she explained exactly what Sota's men did to Sakura's stuff, he knew immediately. It was a clear-as-day message. It was a process the Yakuza used often; start with their place of residence, letting the victim know that they in fact know where they live. Next, target said victim's place of work, and then the family members—of which Kakashi was grateful Sakura had none here. He knew that the Yakuza wasn't that dumb to target an enormous, government-funded Hospital. If they weren't already on the radar, they'd for sure be putting themselves in the spotlight doing that. The Yakuza did these things to scare the victim shitless, hoping that instead of them hunting the victim, the victim will find the Yakuza themselves in hopes the harassment will stop. Sakura was not about to go to the Yakuza on her own accord, even if she wanted to, he'd stop her.

Once Ino told him she was going to buy Sakura things, he immediately called Shino, who was on a Tracing job with Neji. Kakashi relayed over what happened, telling him to send another two out to see if they can track down the men who did this. Shino figured if the apartment was as trashed as Ino said it was, it had to be three men at least. The job had to be done quick—especially the bit where they lit her clothes on fire.  
Fuckers.

While Kakashi hated that this happened, and also cursed at the awful timing; it gave him insight to just how desperate Sota was. It appeared that Sota was focusing a lot of his efforts and men into capturing Sakura. Any time the Yakuza would act, it was off timing—and for a reason, as so not to be tracked. Everything Sota was doing was in succession, and Kakashi was positive that Sota's head boss has no idea about Sota's efforts. To a Yakuza crime lord, Sakura offered nothing. She was not a threat, she had no information, she saw nothing; and she's a nurse, who at some point would have been tending to a Yakuza grunt. Had Sota's boss found out, Sota would be shut down in an instant because he'd be jeopardizing the Yakuza as a whole by making it his mission to capture this woman; and rather sloppily, too. As Kakashi wandered down the store aisle, his mind began formulating several ways this could go. The team can continue this route, picking Sota's men off one by one until they find out where Sota hides out. This will take time, how long nobody knew. The other option could be outing Sota to the Yakuza crime lord, but those efforts seem twice as dangerous considering the Yakuza have an idea they're being checked off by Ancient of Days. The only way the Yakuza crime lord would even remotely agree to meet up and speak, is if there was a truce to be made which would mean Ancient of Days laying off of their pursuit; they weren't about to do that. Even still, the meet up would be tense, they'd want proof—not just word of mouth.

Somehow, they needed to sever the ties between Sota and the Yakuza head. Again, Sota's section was merely a sub-chapter of the Yakuza themselves. If Sota is out of the picture, the Yakuza head wouldn't give two shits. If that tie is severed, then Sota wouldn't have nearly as many grunts working under him, which would make it easier to tick the others off. They'd have to find a way to get this information about Sota out to the Yakuza head—he just didn't know how. They'd need proof first and foremost, and they've only got two instances to go by. The diner, and now, her apartment. Gathering proof for both instances would be easy enough, but that was just the thing; would two instances be enough? Would the team be sticking their necks out just to be shot down by the crime lord? Not to mention, whose to say that the Yakuza boss didn't pull a fast one on them, and ambush them during the meet. It's happened before, it'll easily happen again. Kakashi figured he'd have to get the team's input on the topic, to see if they should simply stick to the plan they have or take the extra step in isolating Sota.

Past the ever-burning rage that was his hatred for Sota, Kakashi felt equally worried—a feat of which he does not often act on. He's always remained so collected, even during high stake situations. But, since knowing Sakura and the events that have taken place, he's been worried. Not so much for her safety anymore now that she was in their care—even though that didn't mean they let their guard down—rather for how she was processing everything; what her thought process must be, how her body was feeling, and her healing. Kiba had told him that Sakura said she was feeling awful and he had no doubt she was, considering the medicine they'd given her had probably worn off not twenty minutes after they left the hospital. He could only imagine what this month was going to bring her, especially these next two weeks. The way she described to him how she was hurting made him wish he had a way to better help her, but all he could do was keep her as stress free as possible and make sure she was taking the medicine. Make sure she was keeping the wounds clean, no heavy lifting, and the like. He'd handled injured people before; it came with the territory after all, but Sakura was an entirely different ball park. Stab wounds, cuts, and gashes he could handle. Even tending to someone after a decent ass kicking was in his repayor. The hefty list of aftercare instructions Himari had given him intimidated him only slightly; he didn't want to do anything wrong. He wanted to make sure she was taken care of properly, and he was thankful that Ino had offered to visit often just to run a check up on Sakura. He'd do everything in his power to make sure she was as safe and as comfortable as possible.  
That also meant making sure the house had everything they needed.

Being in the hospital, it didn't even cross his mind that he hadn't been to the house in at least a year. The first of his horrors was realizing there was absolutely no food there; the second being that the bed in the master bedroom was at least twenty years old. What was once his room had been changed by his father years ago into a study, so it wasn't like there was an extra bed they could rely on. He did was the only sensible option and buy a brand-new bed; he had to. Any time he did visit the house, he never slept on that bed anyways, it was always the couch for him. For the longest time Kakashi couldn't bring himself to change his father's bedroom. He'd kept it the same way his dad had left it; pillows over to the side, sheets and blankets crumbled to the lower half of the bed because his dad always kicked them off sometime in the middle of the night. The same book remained opened pages down on the night stand, his reading glasses resting on the corner. Hell, for a hot minute there he kept the glass of water his dad left there, too. After some time, he figured it was best to just let go, and so he did. Book, sheets, glasses—everything got put away into the study for the most part. The bed he just kept there, telling himself he'll deal with it later until he ultimately forgot about it.

In fact, now that he thought back on it; when Kakashi's father was alive, he was over at the house every three days at least. When his father passed, he went through a season where the house was the only place he'd stay. He'd sleep on the couch every night, surrounded in a pile of dogs; secretly hoping he'd hear his father holler from the kitchen if he wanted some Sake. He'd lay there, imagining the two of them standing across from each other in the kitchen; sipping sake while his dad talked about a beautiful woman he'd met the other day. Kakashi used to tell his dad all the time that it was okay if he moved on; if he found another woman to love and fill the emptiness in his life. Each and every time, his dad would just chuckle to himself; swirling the sake down and making a remark about he had already found the woman for him years ago—and that was his mother. Kakashi never knew his mother, she had died when he was just two from an immune disease. From the pictures his dad had of her, she was absolutely stunning. She was tall, willowed in a romantic sort of way; with long, black hair that reached the back of her hips. His dad even had a weathered photo of her holding Kakashi right after he was born; but the picture his dad held onto the most was their wedding photo. Being the hippy dippy, somehow disco freaks, they were; their marriage was unorthodox. Instead of getting married in a church with a pastor, they took a couple friends and got married in a sunflower field during the summer. The polaroid was of them standing side by side, one arm wrapped around the other in a loving embrace, kissing under the sun. His dad always had it, either in his pocket on his jacket, or in his wallet.  
It was gripped tightly in his hands when he passed.

Once the initial pain of losing his father had ebbed, going to the house seemed to only feel like picking at a fresh scab. It would only serve to break loose what he worked so hard to maintain and handle himself. He knew his dad wouldn't have wanted him to sit and mourn for too long; as it were, life kept moving forward and so should he. Since then, he'd really only visit the house once a year, just to make sure it was holding up and hadn't crumbled to a pile of wood on the ground. Now, with him and Sakura now staying there for the time being; almost everything had to be bought for the house. New dishes, sheets, blankets, towels, and supplies. Food; soups and liquids for the first five days for Sakura, as well as ingredients for meals, snacks, and drinks. Ino had mentioned to him something about Sakura putting emphasis on three fluffy blankets that Sota's men had, unfortunately, ripped to shreds. He'd made a note to get her blankets similar to that if he could. Unluckily, the grocery store didn't have everything he needed, so he was going to have to make multiple stops—and buy a new coffee machine for the house. As quickly as he could, he grabbed everything he thought he would need, checked out, and made his way to the next store. Even with the tasks at hand, he couldn't seem to think straight.

He'd hope Sakura was doing okay. That Hinata had reached her in time enough for Sakura to take the medicine, so she wasn't feeling bad. That she was feeling comforted during this time; that seeing everyone working hard to protect her made her feel safe.

He'd hope so, anyways.  
One just never knew with Sakura.

By the time Kakashi got done with everything and had reached the house, it was well past eight in the evening. Along his shopping, he had taken a detour to Samurai to discuss with Tsunade, Shika, Temri, and Gaara his thoughts on outing Sota to his boss. The responses were exactly what he assumed they were going to be—the situation was too volitile and up in the air to expect anything to come out of it. If anything, they'd only be putting their necks on the line even more than they already were, and these missions with the Yakuza were strictly covert; they weren't supposed to be found out. Sure, the Yakuza had an inkling they were being offed, but they can't quite narrow it down to who considering they've got teams and teams of detectives, agencies, and cops gunning it for the Yakuza. Tsunade stated it would be wise to stick to their plan now, and should anything come up that gives them the opportunity to out Sota, then go for it; but don't stick your neck out doing it.

And she was right.

As of right now, again they were only dealing with Sota and his men. Missions involving the Yakuza were so convert and so secretive; meticulously thought out from each and every point so that the team can take care of their target without being noticed. Sure, some grunts may die along the way, but again grunts were a dime a dozen to the Yakuza. Once they talked it over, Kakashi had made a quick call to Shino just to see where everyone was at. Shino and Neji were still tracing, while Tenten, Rock, and Choji were still on the men's trail. Last Shino had heard, they were in Kabukicho where the men had gone off to, which didn't surprise Kakashi in the slightest. Within the adult-nightclubs is where most Yakuza met up, or fucked off in. Usually after a job like that, they'd always manage to find the grunts throwing money at the women in the clubs as means of celebration. Once the team would come across the grunts, they'd be so drunk out of their minds that apprehending them was cream cheese. Most of the time, anyways. Once in a while there was one big son-of-a-bitch that took a couple of them to take down. Hearing they'd manage to track them to that district gave Kakashi hope that the team could get their hands on them.

The more of these fuckers they could knock off, the better.

Pulling into the driveway, Kakashi was happy to see both Kiba's car there and Hinata's car. He was also really happy that he had an issue with leaving his car at the club all the time, it made it easier for him to leave the club and take off. The sun had already set and the inside of the house glowed with a bright light, illuminating the outside of the house some. Once he'd gathered as many of the bags as he could while still being able to walk, he neared the door and knocked on it with his foot three times. Of course, Kiba had already known it was Kakashi, as Kakashi could see Akamaru's big white head poking up through the window. The knob turned, more bright light pouring out to invade the darkness of the night.

The moment Kakashi stepped in, he was greeted by a bustle of very excited dogs. The surrounded his feet, making small jumps to nip at his hands in greeting. The only dog that didn't move was Bull, and he was propped up on the couch next to a sleeping Sakura; his fat head resting on the dip of her waist. Hinata was in the kitchen, going through drawers and Kiba had side stepped Kakashi to go get the rest of the bags from the car. As quietly as he could, he walked past the heard of dogs to the kitchen, setting the bags down on the island and nodding at Hinata, "Some spring cleaning?"

Hinata glanced over at the bags, "I sort of knew you were going to get all new stuff for the house when you threw out the old bed. Sakura fell asleep pretty soon after I gave her the medicine, so I thought I'd just keep myself busy for awhile. I went ahead and cleaned up, starting with the master bedroom and bathroom. You're lucky there still happened to be cleaning supplies down here. I cleaned the kitchen, dining room, and even your backyard balcony just a little bit. Once I was done, I decided to just throw out everything that was way too old—I hope you don't mind?" Her expression was slightly sheepish, as though she might be feeling guilty for throwing things out.

Kakashi waved at her dismissively, "I don't mind. Everything here was pretty old, I honestly wouldn't feel comfortable having it around. Thank you for cleaning, you really didn't have to do that."

Hinata smiled sweetly, "I don't mind, really. Besides, I knew you were doing a lot already and again, I wasn't doing anything so I decided to help out just a little. Plus, the cleaner the house, the better for Sakura. We don't want any of her wounds getting infected."

"Mmh, good thinking," Kakashi muttered. "Speaking of, how is she doing?"

Hinata's lips pressed into a grim line, "Not bad, but not good either."

Kakashi's brow pulled down in concern, "What happened?"

"Well..." Hinata wrung her hands nervously. "Technically nothing _happened._ But, I guess when Ino had called and told Kiba about what happened at the apartment, he shouted or something and it woke her up."

Kiba came through the front door with arms full of bags, easily maneuvering his way around the dogs to place the bags on the remaining space of the island. Kiba glanced between the two, "What? What are we talking about?"

"Earlier," Hinata replied in a hushed tone, "when Sakura woke up the first time."

"Aahh," Kiba raised his chin up slowly. "Yeah, that was...rough..."

Kakashi eyed Kiba expectantly, waiting for Kiba to finish.

"Yeah, so I shouted because I was pissed. She wakes up and just starts freaking out. I mean, she was crouched down in somewhat of a fighting stance, if that's what you want to call it. The moment I saw her standing like that, I start walking to her- I was down the hall—to tell her that she needed to stand up straight because the way she was stanced could have ripped the stiches open. She was standing the way Neji does when he really wants to fuck shit up. What's worse is, from where I was standing, you could tell by her face that it fucking hurt," Kiba shook his head and sighed. "But she looked so panicked and freaked out that she wasn't even thinking about it. She no shit thought she was going to get attacked. She shouts my name, I'm halfway to her and she whirls on me and starts trying to lay into me. I barely dodged her blows; I could _feel_ the wind brush my cheeks when her fist would fly by. I managed to grab her wrists and calm her down."

Kakashi frowned deeply, "Flo said something like that would happen."

Hinata's pearl eyes narrowed concernedly, "Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"Flo simply said to make sure she's not alone. She said that Sakura might have night terrors, she might wake up and panic. She's going to be really on-edge and paranoid, so we've got to make sure we remain equally calm. Any updates on anything Sota's men do, let's keep between the team. We don't need to stress her out any further," Kakashi asserted, leaning back against the island.

"Well...you're not going to be happy with me," Kiba half-chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Kakashi straightened, "What did you do?"

"I mean, _technically_ I didn't do anything. It was just...at the time, she was freaking out really bad. She was _demanding_ that I tell her what happened, so I just-"

Kakashi tossed his head back and let out a low irritated groan, "Fucking really."

"Hey," Kiba barked in a whisper as to not wake Sakura. "She told me she wasn't going to relax until she knew what was going on? What was I supposed to do, hmm?"

"I don't know, Kiba," Kakashi scoffed, slapping his palms down on the outside of his thighs. "Maybe just tell her we have it under control?"

"Yeah," Kiba gibed sarcastically. "Because we both know that would have worked."

Kakashi sighed, running his hand through his hair and shaking his head. "You know what, you're right. She probably did bully you to tell her."

For a brief moment, Kiba opened his mouth as though to argue; but blanked instead. "Oh," he commented shortly. "I thought you were going to give me more shit about it."

"I may be stressed, Kiba, but it doesn't mean I've lost my sensibility."

"Mmm-hhmmm," Kiba hummed skeptically. "Alright, well remember that you're a sensible man when I tell you this next part..."

Kakashi deadpanned.

Kiba held up a hand, "Now, before you say anything just let me explain myself, okay? Sakura had been looking really uneasy the entire time at Samurai, especially when Tsunade was going on about the her being apart of us bit. On the drive there, she said something along the lines of not understanding why we are talking about her like that—you know, her being a part of you which in turn is a part of us...right?"

"Right," Kakashi repeated uniformly.

"So, you're saying that you acknowledge that she's having a hard time trusting us and the way we feel about her, right? You agree that she would need to see it from another perspective to fully grasp where we're coming from- that it would help her feel better about everything...right?" Kiba pressed even harder.

"You sure are setting me up, Kiba," Kakashi suspired. "If I didn't know any better, I'd feel a little nervous with the way you're talking."

"Kiba just get on with it," Hinata interjected, dainty arms crossed on her chest.

"Fine, okay," Kiba glanced over at Hinata almost desperately. "Just- know that _I _know it wasn't my place to say anything to begin with, and that I am whole heartedly a jackass for telling Sakura your business."

Kakashi waited while Kiba stood there, almost sweating.

"So..." Kiba strung out. "I felt like...If I told her about you and...Yua...she'd understand where you were coming from and where the rest of us were coming from..."

Hinata gasped, "Kiba! You didn't?!"

Kiba cursed under his breath, running his hand along the stubble on his jaw, "Yeah, I did. I felt like I had to. Here at the house wasn't her first freak out. It happened at the club, too. She just tensed up and started tremoring. I watched her fists close up, and I could tell she was trying to play it cool. I felt bad for her. She's probably so confused and scared and overwhelmed that I thought, maybe if she knew that what we were all feeling was genuine...especially you, and the weight behind your words..." he trailed off.

Kakashi remained still, scrutinizing Kiba severely.  
Yua had been a topic no one had touched on in a while, and for good reason; no one wanted to. She had done enough damage that, when all the news was out, everyone just wanted to forget her.

Especially Kakashi.

In fact, forgetting her had been pretty fluid for him, for the most part. Due to the fact that he didn't love her. Still, it took time for him to get back on his feet and mourn the loss of a baby that wasn't his. On one hand, he was forever thankful—he couldn't imagine Yua being the mother to his child. What a fucking nightmare that would have been. On the other, he was so incredibly young at the time that, even though he wanted kids eventually, that time was definitely not the time. Being with Yua had been a waking nightmare, one of which he vowed he was never going to live through again. Even his own father actively told Kakashi how he wasn't fond of her; how he felt like she was up to no good.  
If only his dad knew...

Initially, Kakashi wanted to deck Kiba square in the jaw. For some reason, there felt like there was an unwritten code that people don't tell someone else their friend's private, personal information. Especially in this instance. But when he thought on it deeper, he hated the fact that he understood Kiba's standpoint. Sakura was vocalizing that she didn't understand everyone's acceptance of her, and why should she? She didn't know them from Eve, so she had a right to be weary of their kindness. Even though she was making small steps in giving Kakashi more and more of her trust, he could still clearly see there the doubt in her eyes that held her back from fully giving in. Not that he expected her to, at any rate. He figured, the way Kiba saw it was the same way the entire team saw it—perspective. They knew Kakashi through and through; they understood when things were serious and when things weren't. They also stopped assuming he was going to settle down. If Sakura was witness to what they witnessed, maybe she'd have the same perspective and feel more confident about the team.

"That wasn't your place to tell her," Kakashi retorted evenly.

"I know," Kiba huffed. "And I'm sorry. I promise I don't just blab all of your personal shit, but I felt so bad for her man, I just figured-"

Kakashi raised a hand up, cutting Kiba off, "I get it...maybe just give me a call next time you want to do something like that."

Kiba nodded, his stressed features relaxing slightly.

"How did she respond?" Hinata inquired, plucking a bag off of the island and digging the items out of it.

"Oh, she was actually pissed," Kiba replied in a surprised tone.

"Really?" Hinata and Kakashi remarked in unison.

"Yep. Her face said it all, if she wasn't in such a bad state, she would have probably jumped out of the car and beat the shit out of Yua herself."

"Did she say anything?" Kakashi muttered, emptying out the other bags himself.

"Say said it gave her a lot of insight," Kiba mused. "That it helps her understand you more...she also called you mysterious."

Kakashi grinned, but it fell when he glanced over at Sakura.  
She looked so..._vulnerable._

By the way her jaw was slack and her body hadn't moved an inch since he got there, she was beyond exhausted; not just physically, but mentally, too. The way Bull stayed glued to her side told him that even his boys were aware she was not in her best state. While Hinata and Kiba mumbled to each other over the sheets Kakashi bought, Kakashi had percolated his way from the kitchen to standing in front of her, leaning over to get a better look at the wounds on her face.

The side of her face that had been slapped was still red- not as scarlet as the day she got attacked, but red nonetheless. The ruptured blood vessels still remained, though it appeared as if maybe some of them shrunk down, just by a little. On the other side of her face, the scratches seemed to resemble gouges more than anything. The fucker had really dug his nails into her face, and it wasn't a wonder that Himari had talked about scarring. Around the edges of the slashes they appeared irritated, and it was probably because she had been lying on that side of her face. Kakashi reached down, wiggling his hands underneath Sakura to pick her up and put her on the new bed. His hands barely managed to wiggle an inch underneath her when Bull shot up, giving Kakashi a protective, throaty growl. Ignoring Bull, he tucked his hands deeper, squatting down so lift her up. This time, Bull had leapt down, ran around Kakashi, and jumped up to the free side of the couch; barking loudly in Kakashi's face and near Sakura's ear.

Before Kakashi could even register what was taking place, a hand had shot out and clapped him hard along the right side of his face. Bull barked again, and Sakura began jerking in Kakashi's arms wildly. Still holding her at a crouch, Kakashi tossed his head back, avoiding the flailing elbow that was shooting straight for his nose. Sakura screamed, crunching forward and jerking her legs out in attempts to use her momentum to fly out of his arms. Kiba and Hinata were by his side now, furiously grabbing Sakura's limbs while he did his best to carefully set her back down on the couch despite her aggressive jerking and writhing. Hinata had an arm across Sakura's chest, a leg curled over both of Sakura's legs. Kiba held her wrists firmly together in her lap. Even with three people holding her, she was proving to be a lot stronger than what they had anticipated.

"Sakura," Kakashi titled as in as calm of a tone as he could manage. "It's just us." He reached forward, holding her thrashing head in his hands. He directed her eyes to his, and though he was holding her head in place, her eyes continued to rove around wildly; actively searching for her attacker. She jerked her wrists and legs, and he knew that she wasn't registering who was holding her. All she knew is that she was being restrained and she was being attacked. Sakura jerked her head hard to the left, breaking Kakashi's hold and directly head butting Kiba. Kiba swore, but didn't loosen his grip on her wrists. She jerked her legs, taking Hinata's leg with them and landing a solid kick to Kakashi's collar bone; sending him back a couple feet. Hinata moved to anchor herself on Sakura, but not before Sakura bucked her hips, sending Hinata off kilter to the side of the couch. Legs free, Sakura swiveled to Kiba, kicking him in the chest so hard that he fell off of the side of the couch completely.

Sakura went to stand, letting out a small bawl of pain as she did, slouching over and gripping her side. Without so much as a second thought, Kakashi made his move. He maneuvered his way around her, dodging the weak punch and getting behind her. Just as she was about to twist on him, Kakashi circled his arms around her tightly, pulling her frame against his so she wouldn't wiggle out. Hinata took the front, pressing her body against Sakura's and encircling her arms around Sakura and Kakashi as a whole. Kiba came from the side, wrapping one arm around Kakashi's back and one around Hinata's back; sandwiching Sakura in. Minutes passed of Sakura's panic; she writhed, jerked, and yelped when the pain was too much. It was only when Hinata began to whisper to Sakura that she was okay that Sakura began to come down and come to. Her erratic breathing became slow and heavy, and the only movement was the tremoring of her body due to a combination of pain and fear. Hinata was the first to capture Sakura's expression, moonstone eyes regarding Sakura in a gaze that was painfully sweet. Sakura buried her head into Hinata's shoulder, shaking in small waves as she bit back mufflied cries.

No one moved.

Each person remained in their positions, surrounding Sakura in a comforting hold. Kakashi could tell by Kiba's face he was bothered; eyes cast to the side and mouth drawn in an unhappy grimace. The small tears that Hinata wiped away proving she was moved did not escape his notice either. Kakashi remained collected; burning her wild expression in his memory so he can be able to tell next time she's going to go full out. Because, if there was one thing he was sure of, this wasn't going to be the last time she panics like this. He wondered briefly why she hadn't behaved this way at the hospital, but then again it was a place she was familiar with—a place she felt safe staying at. Not to mention, with the nurse's constant coming in and out, she wasn't fully enveloped in sleep like she had been here, at an unfamiliar place no less.

Five more minutes passed before Kiba was the first to disengage himself, turning down the hall to check out his forehead due to the fact that she managed to break skin head butting him. Hinata let go next, taking a soft step back from Sakura to look at her more fully. Kakashi did nothing of the sort. He loosened his tight hold on her, but he hadn't let her go due to the fact she was still shuddering all over. She remained standing, burying her face in her hands and breathing deeply. Hinata's once concerned gazed turned horrified, pointing down to Sakura's side. Glancing down, sure enough Kakashi saw what he had been fearing. Blood had soaked through her shirt where her stab wounds were, making a trail down her leg.

"Tell Ino," Kakashi commanded quietly.

Hinata gave one curt nod, twirling around to walk out the front door and pulling her phone out at the same time.

Kakashi let go of Sakura, stepping around to face her. Sakura still had her face in her hands, and he could hear each heavy, deliberate breath she was taking as though she were still trying to calm herself down.

"Sakura," Kakashi began gently. "I think you may have re-opened one of your stiches. I'm going to pull your shirt up some so I can look at it, okay?"

Sakura nodded slowly, but said nothing and kept her face in her hands.

He squat down, gingerly peeling the shirt up as cautiously as he could manage. Once the fabric was pulled away, more blood pooled forward over the edge of her pants and down. While one of the stab wounds was thankfully still stitched together, save for the irritated red blotches surrounding it, the other one had been opened more than halfway. Swiftly, he stood back up, seeking out the medicine bag and digging out a patch of gauze, an alcohol wipe, and medical tape; striding back to Sakura and squatting before her again. He began to wipe just around the wound, making sure to not touch it directly.

"Is it bad?" She wheezed from behind her hands. Her panicked screams had done a number to her already injured voice.

"Not as bad as it could be," he replied grimly. "It's torn open just over halfway. You'll need to get it stitched back up again. I'll take you to the hospital-" he stood up, just as Sakura nearly shouted.

"No!"

Kakashi froze, looking over at her curiously. She'd removed her face from her hands, and the expression there could have sent him to his grave. Never had he seen someone look so ashamed of themselves; her emerald eyes were bloodshot from the frenzy, pain, and crying she'd gone through. Her pink brows were arched sadly, mouth drawn into a miserable, trembling glower. He wanted so bad to hug her, but he knew it would only hurt her. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew she was already reeling from the moment, desperately feeling as though she need to scrape up what was left of her pride.

"I don't want to go back to the hospital," she rasped in a tremor.

"Usagi," Kakashi broke, sighing and turning to face her head on. "We have to go. Not only did you re-open your stitches, but you head butted Kiba. You have contusions in your brain right now, I don't think head butting someone is good for that kind of thing."

Her breath hitched, "I head butted him?"

Kakashi's face twitched, "You don't remember?"

She shook her head, "I know that I freaked out and screamed..."

"You seriously don't remember trying to kick our asses just now? You literally fought all three of us, Sakura. You tossed Hinata to the side, head butted Kiba and then kicked him off the couch, and kicked me in chest," Kakashi explained carefully, watching her expression with each action he ticked off. Sakura appeared more and more appalled with each statement.

"No, I don't," she sniffed, wincing when she brought her hand up to pat her face.

"I read about that happening," Kiba commented, approaching them from down the hall. "My grandpa has PTSD and my dad would tell me that he'd do stuff like that all the time. He'd think he was getting attacked, black out and lose his shit; then come to later and not remember what he did at all."

"I don't have PTSD," Sakura remarked almost defensively.

"I'm not saying you do," Kiba rebuttled just as quickly. "But I am saying you went through a traumatic experience and this is the kind of stuff that happens. Don't be so hard on yourself, you're human. If anything, I'm giving you mad props, Saku-ka-kaku."

"Props?" She repeated shakily.

"You literally fought off three trained ninjas, who work for an ancient as fuck mercenary group—who hunt down the Yakuza, who turn in drug lords," he enunciated with emphasis. "We have literally been trained all of our lives to fight like badasses and in one ten minute span you threw all of us off." He chuckled, "I'm impressed, honestly. Imagine if she trained with Lee? She'd be dy-no-mite."

Instead of being encouraged by Kiba's words, Sakura's face crumpled, "I'm so sorry!" Her face dropped in her hands again, working hard to fight back the wave of emotion. "I've never done something like that before. I don't remember attacking you all, I just thought that he was here and I thought that he had his men holding me down- I thought they were going to-"

"It's okay, Sakura," Kakashi soothed. "I was kind of prepared for this. What you're experiencing is normal, you've just got to ride it out—and we'll be here to ride it out with you. But, I need you to understand something, okay?"

"What?" she sniffed again, lifting her face.

Kakashi leveled his gaze with hers, staring deep into her eyes with an earnestness that she couldn't look away from. "Understand that _no one_ is going to hurt you here. _No one _is going to come here and hurt you, _no one _will be able to put their hands on you as long as I'm breathing, okay?"

Sakura's eyes searched his, pupils dilating. "Okay," she whispered back. "I understand."

"Alright..." Kakashi leaned back. "If you don't want to go to the hospital, what do you suggest we do?"

"Ino," she suggested. "She can re-suture it."

Kakashi's eyebrow quirked, "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive," she croaked. "They wouldn't even numb it for how short it is anyways."

"Alright," he conceded with a sigh. "I'll see if Hinata is still on the phone with Ino."

Due to Ino having to take a detour to the hospital, it took her an extra hour and a half to get to the house. In the meantime, Kakashi did his best to cover the wound, checking it briefly every now and then just to make sure it wasn't bleeding through—of which he only had to replace the gauze once, so he was thankful. Sakura remained on the couch, nodding off but refusing to fall asleep. Both Hinata and Kakashi offered to sit beside her, if it would help her feel more comfortable to fall back asleep; but she remained stubborn, insisting that she'd watch something on the TV instead. Kakashi thanked whatever invisible forces were at play that he decided last minute to buy a new TV for the house. While Hinata took all the sheets and made the new bed, Kiba and Kakashi were at work hooking up the TV and cable box.

"You thought of everything," Kiba remarked in a sweaty grunt, hunched over to reach behind the TV with a yellow wire in his hand.

"I tried to, anyways," Kakashi stated, grabbing the yellow wire and bringing it to his end to connect to the back of the cable box.

"You act like she's moving in for good."

Kakashi glanced up, muttering quietly. "I just want her to be as comfortable as possible."

"You think it's going to take longer than a month, don't you?" Kiba sought grimly.

Kakashi opened his mouth to speak at the same time Ino barged in, holding so many bags that he couldn't even see her until she stood in the middle of the living room, shedding all the bags on the floor. She placed a hand on her hip, pointing a finger at Sakura in disapproval, "You're lucky I like you, Sakura. Himari was sweating me _hard_ about why I was there, and how you were doing. You of all people know it's nearly impossible to lie to that woman. She nearly sniffed me out, too, if it weren't for one of the doctors asking for her help on something. I managed to grab the stuff and take off before she could catch me again—because she _did_ ask me to stay there until she got back. So now I've got to come up with a reason as to why I took off next time I see her."

To Kakashi's surprise, Sakura giggled, "Better come up with something good."

Ino scowled, "Tch. You're lucky I don't call her and tell her you re-opened your wound _and _head butted Kiba. Then you'd be trapped at the hospital forever."

"You'd never," Sakura challenged with a weak smile.

Ino huffed, leaning over to scoop up another medical bag similar to the one Himari had given them. She held it up in the air, jiggling the contents lightly. "Let's go to the kitchen to do this. There's too much dog fur on the couch already."

"What about the restroom?" Kiba suggested.

Ino shook her head, "Lighting is too dim for a suture, I want to make sure I get this right. I don't do these very often, so I'm not taking any risks."

"You're so reassuring," Kakashi sighed incuriously.

Ignoring Kakashi, Ino grabbed Sakura by the hand and, along with Hinata's help, took Sakura to the kitchen table. Kakashi watched diligently as Ino followed what he assumed was standard protocol. She washed her hands, pulled nylon gloves out from the bag and snapped them on. Sakura sat up as straight as she could, curling her shirt up to tuck it into her armpit, and wiggling her sweats down some so Ino had enough room to work. Ino crouched down, cleaning the area assiduity before threading the medical needle. She hovered over the wound, glancing up at Sakura. What passed between the two was unspoken, but Ino nodded nonetheless; going to work.

When Sakura flinched and hissed, Kakashi almost felt it as though it was happening to him. Despite the fact that he's received more stitches than he can count and he can handle the pain, it was another thing to see it happening to Sakura of all people. He understood she was a grown woman, who was undoubtedly insanely strong; still, it didn't stop the way his forearm flexed like he'd go over there himself to stop it from happening. Even if he was feeling protective over her, he knew better than to hover over someone like Sakura. She'd only resent him for it in the long run, as it was her personality to be wholly independent and proud.

It didn't take Ino long to finish the suture, and Sakura did a hell of a job managing the pain with just small instances of irritation flashing across her face. Once Ino cut the string, she placed her hands around the wounds, squinting and peering hard at them; humming skeptically under her breath.

"What is it?" Sakura grated.

"They just look really irritated, and a little dirty," Ino glanced up. "You're showering tonight right?"

Sakura started. "Um...I don't know. I'm hurting, it was the last thing on my mind, Ino."

Ino shook her head, "I'm sorry, Sakura. I would say we can just clean it, but from the looks of it stuff has managed to slip in between the stitching; I'm guessing from sitting in the hospital bed for as long as you did, going to the club, coming here—we've got to make sure water gets in there and flushes out the grime. Otherwise, it is going to get infected, and you know that."

"I guess..." Sakura deflated, lifting her arm slightly to let her shirt fall down.

Ino caught it, "No ma'am. We just had to restitch these. Keep your shirt up for right now. We'll go ahead and help you shower right now. We can wash them with the soap Himari gave you, that'll clean them really well."

"She can just cover it after, right?" Hinata asked softly, patting Sakura's shoulder tenderly.

"Not really," Ino huffed, looking over at Sakura with her head cocked to the side. "And Sakura should know that. Once it's washed, let it dry on its' own. _Then_ cover it up with the ointment Himari gave us. I bought you sleeping shirts that will accommodate the stab wounds, so that nothing is rubbing against them and irritating them."

"Not necessary," Sakura quipped sharply. "We're putting gauze over it, remember."

"Too late," Ino snapped back just as quickly. "I already bought the shirts. Plus, yes we will be putting these bandages I brought over on them; _but_ you will be moving a lot in your sleep so it's best to keep anything else from rubbing on them to irritate them anymore than they are now."

"Whatever," Sakura mumbled, directing her attention to the floor.

Ino sighed, patting Sakura's knee and standing up and turning to her attention to Kakashi who had been watching with a blank expression. "Towels?"

"They're all in the bathroom, in the cabinet above the toilet," Kakashi jerked his chin toward the direction of the master bathroom.

Ino gave him a thumbs up, stepping to the piles of bags on the living room floor and digging through a few before pulling out a several scraps of fabric, and plucking up a bag that looked like it had toiletries in it. She made her way back to Sakura, nodding at Hinata, "You ready?"

Hinata nodded, folding her hand over Sakura's elbow and gently lifting her up, "Can you walk there by yourself?"

"Yes." Sakura answered curtly.

The women made their way down the hall slowly, following Sakura's pace. Hinata and Sakura disappeared into the bedroom, and Kakashi called out, "Ino."

Ino turned halfway, "Yes?"

"If you need anything, just let me know," he offered genuinely.

Ino nodded, turning away from here and to the master bath.

Kakashi stared down the hall for several more beats, wondering if Sakura was going to be okay. Not because he didn't have faith in Ino or Hinata, but because this was probably the first time Sakura was going to be seeing herself since the attack. She had told him Himari made it a point to keep her from looking in the mirror, and since she'd been with them she hadn't gone to the restroom at all. He hoped she the girls would remind her they're only temporary; that they'll heal. She was so worried about the way she looked, that deep down no matter how much he hoped it would be handled well; he had a sinking feeling she was going to take it hard.

Today has been an incredibly rough day for Sakura, and he wished there was more he could do about it to make her feel better. He decided that when she got to feeling better, he'd make it up to her.

Over in the living room, the TV had been turned on and Kiba was lounging across the couch; spread out with Akamaru tangled between his bulky legs. Kakashi regarded him nonchalantly, making his way to the fridge and pulling out some produce he had bought; laying out carrots, celery, and a can of corn and beans from the pantry. He lined everything up, digging out an old cutting board from the drawer and cleaning it off to set it on the counter. He reached to a cabinet by the stove, pulling out a pot and filling it up with water and chicken stock. While waiting for the water to heat up on the stove, he began to chop away at the veggies, lost in thought.

He wanted to dissect Sakura's brain. He wanted to understand how she was feeling, and he wanted to ask her what he can do to make her feel more comfortable here as her panic earlier was proof that she didn't feel safe enough—not that feeling safe negated the fact that she was bound to have episodes like this, but maybe if she felt more secure they wouldn't happen as often as he feared they might. It wasn't out of fear of handling Sakura, that he could do just fine; it was out of fear for Sakura. With each instance, she was only beating herself up more and more—that was painfully obvious. If she was being hard on herself, it only meant she was stressing herself out, which only added to what both Himari and Tanaka had both seriously ordered: a stress free environment. Maybe, once she the dust has settled, he'd ask her what she needed from him to feel better. It was a simple enough question that shouldn't get a rise out of her.

Once the veggies were cut, Kakashi lobbed a handful of each into the pot; stirring occasionally and adding some salt and pepper. From down the hall, footsteps could be heard marching down rather quickly; and Kakashi turned to see Hinata with a stressed expression on her face.

"How's it going?" Kakashi requested in a half turn towards Hinata.

Hinata froze midstep, turning her head to look at him. She shook her head deftly, closing her eyes and sighing softly.

"Is it the pain? Maybe just get her out of the shower, if she's hurting too much it's not really worth it to-"

"We haven't even gotten there," Hinata cut unhappily. "She hasn't stopped staring at her face. She's been stuck that way for the past fifteen minutes."

"I was afraid of that," Kakashi frowned.

Hinata shook her head again, "We tried to talk to her, but it's like she's not even listening. She just won't stop staring, and she keeps trying to touch her face and we're having to pull her hand away. I know she's sort of..." Hinata blew out air deep from within her lungs. "We know she's really rough right now, but we don't know what else to do to get her to snap out of it. I feel so bad...I actually came out here to ask if maybe you could talk to her?"

"Yes," Kakashi replied instantly, placing the knife down on the cutting board and turning to Kiba. "Hey, can you keep an eye on the soup?"

Kiba nodded, grunting as he peeled himself off of the couch. "Sure," he agreed, stopping to stand iin front of the stove and peer into the pot. "What does it need?"

"Just the beans. Let it boil for about five minutes, add some seasoning that should be in the pantry, and then set it to simmer. I should be back by then."

"Take your time," Kiba waved, lifting the spoon that was in the pot to sip and grimace, muttering "more stock" as Kakashi followed Hinata down the hall.

Walking into the master bath, he had almost forgotten how massive it was. It was room enough to be considered another bedroom, with a tub big enough for two and a shower that was 72 by 72 inches; with really nice shower heads (during their time, though they were just as nice now) and graphite black shower tiles. He remembered his dad was always renovating the master bath because he'd spend a lot of time taking either ridiculously long showers or long baths. To his dad, that was his alone time. The mirror was tall and wide, taking up the majority upper half of the wall just even with the top of the sinks, surrounded in vanity lights. The toilet was tucked in a small corner that jutted in behind the tub, sectioned away to make it appear more private. The floors were white tile, the kitchen sink was the same black graphite as the shower, and the walls were just as white. The room was large and lit up; his dad often preened in the mirror, licking his teeth and telling Kakashi he wishes he was rich instead of "so damned good looking."

With all this lighting, with how bright the room was; Sakura was surely seeing every gash, bruise, and scratch on her body. She was leaning against the sink, hands braced on either side as she stared almost catatonically at her reflection. Her brows were quirked in a sceptical expression, eyes pooled with liquid that only spilled over in a couple small drops. Ino was sitting on the toilet, elbows braced on her knees and head in her hands. She frowned at Kakashi when he caught her gaze, giving her head a subtle jerk towards Sakura. As bright as the lights were, he understood why Sakura would be shocked. The gashes appeared just as awful as they actually were. The shredded edges of her flesh could be seen, the layers of skin could be seen through the gashes on her cheek. The redness of the other half of her face appeared more stark, compared to the pale skin of her neck. The wound riding up her neck appeared crooked and severe, its depth mimicking the one that lined across her collar bone. The bruises around her neck were deep shades of purple, blue, a dark maroon red centered where her attacker had curled his fingers the hardest and where his palms pushed in; the bruising marking up the length of her throat, from the front, around the sides, and even the nape of her neck. He hadn't really noticed it before, but on the corner of her eye of the side where she'd been repeatedly slapped; a very small, very light bruise had formed.

Kakashi waited for a moment, seeing if Sakura would turn to say anything to him, or even just look at him. Several minutes passed of silence between the four; Ino and Hinata standing behind them and watching. Kakashi twisted his torso to the two, mouthing, "Give us some space," deftly. The pair nodded, filing out of the bathroom and shutting the door behind them. Still, Sakura remained motionless when they left; staring deeply at her reflection with the same look of disdain. He neared her, standing just a foot behind her and looking at her reflection. She leaned forward slightly, raising two shaking hands to her cup her cheeks and wincing due to how tender they still managed to be. Tenderly, Kakashi reached from behind her; leaning forward and running his hands down her biceps, up her forearms, to cup over her hands. Teal eyes flicked up momentarily, meeting his in the mirror and flicking back down to her face, eyebrows flinching down in the middle. Using his hands on top of hers, slowly he lowered them back down to either side of the sink; surprisingly meeting no resistance from her. He kept his hands curled over hers, leaving just enough space between them so she didn't feel creeped out or trapped.

"Sakura."

Eyes met his through the mirror again, her gaze almost challenging; as if angrily daring him to remark that she was pretty.

He sighed lowly, not realizing that in doing so he blew hot breath on the nape of her neck and watched her shoulders twitch in response. Any other time, this response would have warranted the deviant in him to take a step forward until she actively made it known otherwise; but now was not the time, and he didn't want her to feel taken advantage of in her vulnerable state. He reared back some, furthering the distance in between them and leaning his head out to the side slightly.

"Don't."

Kakashi's brow furrowed, "Hm?"

Sakura closed her eyes, "Don't say what I think you're going to say."

"What was I going to say, Sakura?" He challenged gently, brushing soft circles over the bottom knuckle of her thumb with his.

"Don't just tell me you think I'm beautiful and just leave it at that."

"Strange," he hummed, leaning over to run the tip of his nose from the corner of her jaw to her temple. "I do think you're beautiful." He placed a kiss on her temple, freezing almost instantly when he did.

What happened to making sure she didn't feel taken advantage of?  
What happened to bad timing?

Being this close to her, he had to admit it was unendingly hard to keep himself from doing what just felt natural to him. That was just it, too- it felt natural. Touching her arms, soothing her, and having her within his bubble; it felt as if she was supposed to be there. Regardless of how it felt for him, however, didn't mean it was a feeling that was reciprocated. As casually as he could, he pulled his head away, about to open his mouth to apologize just as she spoke.

"Don't pull away," she murmured under her breath, staring down into the sink. "It'll just make me feel worse."

"If you think display of affection warrants whether or not you're beautiful; you've got it all wrong, Sakura," he retorted in a low tone.

"I know," she nearly whispered, stuttering over words she was trying to choke out but couldn't manage to. Rather she shut her mouth again, keeping her eyes glued to the sink's drain.

"Will that help you feel better?"

At first, Sakura said nothing. She remained still, though not tense considering they were still within each other's personal space. He watched a small tear slip its way down her cheek again, and she glanced up to meet his burning gaze with a sure one of her own. "I know...maybe it's weird...but it just made me feel comforted..." she explained with a shake of her head. "Every time you kiss my head, I feel...I can't explain it. I feel good, and right now I'm feeling the worst I've felt in a long time."

"Is that what you need from me, then? Is to feel comforted? Because, I'll kiss you all over if it means it'll help you feel a little like yourself again," Kakashi enunciated, once again leaning in to repeat his earlier actions. He ran his nose lightly, fleeting across her skin until he paused once again at her temple to administer another press of his lips.

"I just need to know that everything is going to be okay..." she subdued with another soft tremble that didn't slip past his notice. He lowered his head to her neck.

"Everything is going to be okay," he whispered against the base of her throat, trailing his nose up and kissing the corner of her jaw. He moved in closer, moving his hands from the tops of hers to encircle her like he had earlier in the day; arms crossing over her stomach, careful not to touch the stab wounds. He realized Sakura was actively giving him a piece of her she never granted anyone; her doubts. She was always so confident, level headed, and assured. He never once heard her voice something that she doubted if she couldn't fix it or figure it out herself. She was reaching out to him for reassurance that he was all too happy to give her.

Just as he was about to move again, Sakura very slowly twisted in his arms; turning around to face him. He loosened his hold, pulling back so he wasn't pressing against her so tightly. Her eyes stared up into his, somehow managing to appear alert and tired at the same time. Her pupils were dilated, searching his earnestly, "I need to know that no one is going to get hurt protecting me," she uttered almost desperately, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "I need to know that no one is going to come here and hurt us."

Kakashi dipped his head, planting kisses from the base of her throat and up; lips brushing every bruise in his wake. "We are highly professional, highly trained individuals, Sakura. Even if someone did get hurt, it's not the hurt you're thinking of." When he reached where the top of her throat met her jaw, he grazed his lips along her jawline as though she were made of glass. "No one is going to come and hurt us, not as long as there's breath in my lungs," he mumbled along her jaw, kissing the tip of her chin. He let his hands rub soothing patters across the span of her back, following the shoulder bones that jut out and dip back in. "Anything else you'd like to know since we're here?" he asked against the other side of her jaw, pausing at the corner.

Sakura gulped, "I need to know that I'm going to be okay..."

"Mhm," he grunted against her skin, kissing just underneath the corner of her jaw so that she had to tilt her head up some. "You're going to be okay," he repeated, kissing down the other side of her neck in the same manner; kissing every bruise gently as if it would brush them away. He took his time, lingering on each one and pressing as softly as he could while still adding tender force. The more he moved down her neck, the more it felt as though Sakura was leaning into him—and he could have sworn he heard her sigh. Following the curve of her throat, he paused at her pulse point; lips molded over the spot. Sustaining his place there for several beats, he could feel her quickening heart rate with each passing moment. He kissed there delicately, pulling back to face Sakura. "You're going to be okay," he repeated again, moving his hands to run up her arms and over her shoulders. "You're safe," he muttered, kissing her in the middle of her forehead. "Your wounds will heal," he kissed her on her right cheek bone, careful to not apply too much pressure. "We will capture these men and you'll be forever safe," he kissed her left cheek bone, careful to avoid the cuts there. "You may not feel like you're beautiful now, but you're devastatingly beautiful," he kissed the tip of her nose. "Your body will heal and you'll be able to do everything you did before," he kissed her left eyebrow. "No one thinks any less of you because of your predicament. If anything, we are all really impressed by you," he kissed her right eyebrow. He moved away again, realizing that she had her eyes closed. "Sakura," he titled softly.

Startling emerald eyes opened, waiting.

"This is merely a season," he explained gently. "All seasons must pass, and this will pass. Trust me."

"I trust you," she proclaimed in a hushed breath.

Kakashi searched her gaze, deliberating his next plan of action. She was leaning into him, her chin raised towards him and her lips in a small part. The air became still as both waited for the other to move, and he had wondered if this was the right time or not until she tugged at the bottom of his shirt towards herself. He leaned in, making sure to analyze her expression for any negative reaction in any means. He placed his hand along the nape of her neck in a careful hold, feeling the goosebumps break out across her skin. He paused, his mouth just barely hovering over hers. Their breath mingled, and he could almost taste her lip balm.

"Sakura," he murmured deeply, wanting so badly to just ravish her mouth but knowing full and well the consequence.

"Please," she whispered pleadingly.

"I need to know this is what you want," he asserted, not moving away from his position or forward. The last thing he wanted was to kiss her and have her resent him for it later.

Three breaths passed between them before she answered. "I want this," her tone assured and determined. "I want you."

That was all the confirmation he needed.

Kakashi moved forward, molding his lips onto hers as tenderly as he could possibly manage. He felt her inhale sharply through her nose, kissing him back tentatively at first and then growing comfortable in the kiss; as though she'd been kissing him all her life. He pulled away, kissing from the corner of her mouth to just below her earlobe and then pressing his lips onto hers again.

He marveled at how wonderful kissing her felt.

Her lips were incredibly smooth and soft like silk; he loved the plush resistance he was met with every time his mouth pressed down on the supple flesh. He could most definitely taste the honey and mint lip balm she was wearing, and it filled his senses. While most first kisses often started out awkward as each person was learning how the other operated; that wasn't the case with Sakura. From each kiss to the next, the action was fluid with no hang ups. They moved in tandem, a rhythm that only they could hear. Kakashi moved his free hand to her lower back, splaying his fingers and pulling her in just a little closer. He loved the sound of her small gasps, how each time he pulled back to kiss her again; her breath would hitch as if she'd hold it. Her small hands were fisting the edges of his shirt, wringing it in between her fingers tightly. He wanted to kiss her pain away, he wanted to prove to her that she was going to be okay. He kissed her with a tender passion, silver brows furrowing in focus. He poured as much of himself as he could into the kiss, a silent declaration of the many private promises he's made to her.

Kakashi broke the kiss, sucking in a lungful of air and planting soft kisses along her jaw again; reveling in her labored breathing that thrumed from her chest to his ears. He moved his mouth to her chin to kiss the other side of her jaw again, when she twisted her head to catch his mouth with hers; pushing her lips against his eagerly. Kakashi tilted his head, deepening each kiss and resisting the urge to cup her face due to the injuries there. He could feel his temperature rising, and the hot skin of Sakura's flesh was a testament that she was feeling it, too. He ran the tip of his tongue along her lower lip, gaining purchase when she shuddered at the action and slowly let him in. Kakashi prodded his tongue in her mouth, rubbing it along her tongue and sucking on it with a light tug; fighting back the urge to devour her mouth. She tasted so good, like pure honey and he wondered how she managed that. She gasped softly, continuing the kiss with just as much passion and fever. At some point his heart began to thud in his ears, and he hadn't realized that his hands were roving over her back, as though to memorize the expanse of skin back there. Sakura lifted tried to lift her arms, but once she got halfway up she jerked too hard; wincing and grunting at the pain. The sound brought him back down immediately, reminding him that she's way too hurt to continue where this could possibly go; and if they kept up, it was definitely going somewhere.

He slowed, tongue retreating and kissing her in lingering chaste kisses until he was sure she had come down, too. Several minutes passed, and they were both still again besides the small heaving of their chests.

"Are you feeling better?" Kakashi asked, gripping her hands in his.

Sakura bit down on her grinning lip, "A little..."

"Good," he remarked with a grin of his own. "You just let me know next time you need convincing again, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded, ducking her head to hide her red cheeks.

Kakashi brought her head up, "I'm going to get Ino and Hinata now. Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"I should be fine," she replied huskily, still nibbling on her lower lip.

"Maybe I'll tell the girls to give you a cold shower," he winked with an artful grin.

Sakura rolled her eyes, and Kakashi leaned in; pressing his lips against hers just so he could hear her breath hitch again. He pulled back, squeezed her hands, and turned to open the door to get the girls. He felt giddy, like a teenager and he wanted to run laps around the house like a moron.

If that's how Sakura needed comfort, he'd do it day in and day out.


	16. Obsession

**This is an advisory warning to readers: the content below is pretty harsh, violent, and disturbing. I'm warning you now, if you get triggered by unsettling material, please skip this chapter. I will going forward continue to put a warning for chapters that have more-than-usual unsettling content.**

No one ever slipped away.  
No one ever disrespected him the way that pink haired bitch did; and get away with it.

She's all he's been able to think about. The scene played over and over again in his head; haunting him, her small hand slapping the shit out of him over and over and over and over and over and over—each time harder than the last. He wanted to pluck those fucking eyes out, the way they were looking at him like that. No one ever looked at him like that. He was a fucking god among the pathetic excuse that was humanity. He was to be respected and feared; not sneered at like a fucking roach.

For each time she'd slap him, he'd imagine his hand wrapping around her throat. He'd become giddy at the idea of pinning her down, slapping her the same way she had slapped him—fucking her so hard and raw that he'd permanently ruin her for the buyers after him. He wanted to punch her in her pretty mouth; to bust open those petal-pink lips and watch the blood dribble out from the split like cherry juice. He'd imagine the way he'd do it, too. He'd slap her first, as hard as he could possibly imagine; until her face was swollen and raw. He'd bust her lip next, licking up to taste her blood and bite down hard; tugging and hoping it'd tear even more. He'd dig his finger deep into one of her eyes and scoop it out—no one would care if the bitch was blind in one eye. He'd bite down all over her pale skin, making sure to tear away at the flesh each time. He'd pluck out some of her pearly teeth and shove them in his pocket for safe keeping. He'd break a finger or two, cut off her earlobe, and dig his knife into her pussy nice and good. Then, while she was still able to see him with her good eye; he'd shove her face into the concrete to break her nose, spread her open wide and shove his cock into her ass as deep and as rough as possible. He'd fuck her until she was screaming at the top of her lungs, begging him to stop—but he wouldn't. He'd fuck her in every way imaginable, making sure it hurt. He'd use her all up, and then sell her off to the cheapest, scummiest bidder; where she'd be sucking disease ridden dicks in some run-down shack for the rest of her life.

He'd spare no expense in making sure he got his hands on her. He'd never thought about a woman the way he thought about her, and he figured this is what love must feel like. Maybe he'd keep her for a little bit, make her suffer nice and long to prove to her just how much he loved her. He'd make sure she was utterly alone, she would have no one; her days would start with him and end with him. He figured it would be nice to come home to a blow job every day, especially if he did pull her teeth out it would be a breeze. He'd punish her, use her, and then when she was completely wasted, he'd give her up. Maybe as a memento, he'd use the edge of his blade to scrape off that mark on her forehead—let it dry and hang it up as a reminder that no one disrespects him and gets away with it.

No one.


	17. Tension

She didn't really know what had come over her.

One moment, she was staring at her own haggard expression in the mirror; unable to formulate a sentence because the shock had her squeezed so tight in its vice grip that even breathing was hard. She knew she must have looked rough, by the way Himari had blocked every mirror and everyone's expression on their faces when they first regarded her; but the moment that she caught full sight of herself, it knocked the breath out of her lungs. She looked as though she'd been run over. She would have been the poster child for news articles; the images of the damage she took shared all over the internet as a lesson to others to stay safe. The way she appeared on top of her raspy voice; she'd never felt more undesirable in her entire life than she did staring at herself.

That was, until he walked in.

The spell had been broken the minute he walked in; he has a presence that, despite his feckless demeanor, commands attention. When she noticed him, she immediately wanted to hide her face away from him, even though he'd already been witness to the atrocity himself. She felt ashamed of herself, wishing she could just evaporate on the spot. The closer he neared, the best she did to keep her eyes on the mirror—maybe if she stayed that way, they'd all leave her alone to brood in peace.

That was not the case.

Ino and Hinata left; it was just her and Kakashi. Even with him standing just a foot or so behind her, she could feel the tension in the air. Her skin jumped when he ran his palms over her arms, and when he traced the side of her face to kiss her temple; it was an action so pure and intimate that it shook her to her core. She didn't know why she told him to come back when he pulled away, but she did. He made her feel good, and she was feeling so achingly awful, so hopeless that she wanted nothing more in that moment than to be comforted; she obviously couldn't do it for herself. Granted Ino and Hinata did their best, and she appreciated the kind words they spoke to her; it was just that his presence held more weight than anyone she'd ever come across.

When Kiba told her a little about Kakashi's past, everything became just a little clearer to her. He had been just as hurt as she had been; used and tossed away like she had been. Suddenly all the words he spoke didn't seem so suspicious to her, rather they all seemed to click in a manner she had made a point to avoid before. She couldn't say that in the instant, she'd toss all hesitation to the wind and dive down freely into the rabbit hole that was Kakashi; but accepting him for the man he is and trusting him was a start. She felt a little more better being open to him, hoping he wouldn't judge her for it. He was sure and sturdy; in that moment, she only wanted to lean on him.

So, it only made sense that his touch managed to do things to her.

He made her feel desirable, like her face wasn't horribly marred. His hold around her was so careful that the moment his arms circled hers, she melted. She craved him, then. She wanted to be touched; she wanted to feel for herself just how he regarded her, and he outdid himself. His words were like a soft blanket, soothing her frayed nerves. The soft way his lips trailed along her skin were so light, so gentle—she'd never been touched that way by a man before. Each kiss, touch, word—carefully articulated to cater to her vulnerable state. She began to forget how awful she looked, how bad her body hurt, and how scared she was. All she felt was genuine, tender love and care. Her inside began to spark, her skin grew really hot, and she craved more. More comfort, more touch, more assurance, and more Kakashi. Her mind became overran with him; he surrounded her, filled all of her senses and she liked it. The sight in the mirror was so raw, so intimate that she didn't recognize herself as the woman being doted on. The way his brows were quirked together in prudent focus, as if she was the only person in the world. The feel of his large hands somehow managing to hold her both with assurance and caution; his soft mouth tending to each and every bruise, lingering so sweetly in attempts to replace the pain. The sound of his deep throaty hums, warm breath sending goosebumps across every inch of her skin made her tingle and shudder. Being so close to him, she could smell his masculine scent; bergamot spice, oakmoss, and a tinge of sweet—reminding her of darker berries. It was intoxicating, and she found herself breathing in her nose heavier than usual. The taste of his mouth on hers, like sweet peppermint that drew her in even more. Even if she had remotely thought about pulling away, the moment his lips met hers that was all cast out the window.

She couldn't get enough of him.

Sakura became so caught up in him, so enraptured by his affections that it would have brought tears to her eyes had another feeling not been stirring deep within her depths. She felt her stomach tighten, she could feel her body temperature rising, and she wanted to push the envelope. His kiss told her things that his mouth failed to, and she became addicted to the soundless words. Months of imagining what it would be like to kiss him, and there she was; a victim to his onslaught of sensual compassion. She felt like an idiot then, all those times she fought him and pushed him away; shutting him out and stepping back. Each kiss was patient...until it wasn't. When he tugged on her tongue with his lips, teeth, and tongue; she forgot how to think for a second. The action sent heat pooling in her core in an instant, turning on the desire she had been working so hard on avoiding.

She was almost devastated when he pulled away.

When Hinata and Ino had stepped back into the restroom, she had to work hard to hide the wild-eyed expression she was wearing. The change in her demeanor was obvious, and while Hinata initially tended to her own business; Ino was the one asking all the questions after they helped her clean up.

"You seem to be feeling a little better," Ino chirped, cutting off the shower and rolling out a towel for Sakura to use.

"Yeah," Hinata beamed. "You had me really worried there."

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized, grunting when Ino jerked the towel away from her outstretched hand.

"I'm guessing Kakashi talked some sense into you?" Ino pressed, rubbing the towel down Sakura's arms.

"I suppose so—Ino, this is hardly necessary. I can dry myself off," she reached for the towel again.

Ino jerked it away once more, "No ma'am. You've done enough damage to your body today; you really shouldn't be bending over. What did he say to you?"

"You are being so ridiculous," Sakura admonished, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest; even though it was pointless, seeing as they'd both helped her strip down and clean her up.

"I'm just being cautious," Ino rebuked playfully. "Now, what did he say to you?"

Sakura scowled, "Why do you want to know so bad?"

She shrugged, "I just want to know what he said that helped you that we failed to do, that's all."

"How come I feel like that's the total opposite of what you're trying to do?" Sakura deadpanned, widening her stance so Ino could dry off her legs.

Ino grinned, scrubbing the towel up her left leg before moving over to the right, "I'm just saying—one minute you were pretty much catatonic and the next; you're beet red and oddly chipper."

"Ino," Hinata scolded from behind Sakura, gently tugging a brush through her pink locks. "It's none of your business."

"Tch," Ino scoffed, patting Sakura's front with the towel professionally despite the impish grin she was wearing. "Give it to me straight—you two fooled around, didn't you?"

"Ino!" Hinata barked.

"A little hand action—hmm? A little touchy-feely?"

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, only to have Ino raise her hands and cut her off.

"No, no no no—wait, wait; lemme guess..." Ino quirked her eyes mischievously, leaning back on her right leg and jutting her left hip out sassily. "A little tongue action? I know that when Hinata is feeling down, Naruto always goes do-"

"INO!" Hinata nearly yelled, her alabaster cheeks as red as cherries.

Ino chuckled, "What? We're all women here. You've told me more than I'd like to hear about Naruto, but I also happen to _love _hearing about people's sex lives; so, it's just natural to me. We might as well start sharing with Sakura, she's one of the girls now." Ino turned her attention back to Sakura. "So? Spill the beans."

"Nothing happened," Sakura lied, shuddering when the vents blew on and gusted air across her exposed skin.

"I hate to say it, Sakura—but you're really bad at lying. You know we are trained to pick up on that sort of thing, right? We interrogate people all the time, we know when we're being lied to. You might as well just come out at say it."

"I don't know why it matters to you so much," Sakura commented.

"Ugh!" Ino tossed her head back. "It's because I'm _nosy_, Sakura, and I've been on a _mission_ to get you _laid_ since it's been like _eight months_ since you've been frisky. Then I find out that Kakashi is into you and I was like, _oh hell yeah._ I'm rooting for you to get your rocks off, and by someone who loves you no less!"

Sakura froze, meeting Ino's gaze with a her own appalled one. "You said he loves me?" She muttered softly.

"Well," Ino shrugged and shook her head, "he hasn't said anything, if that's what you're asking. He's just like, really into you and so _I'm_ moreso saying just to say it..." Ino trailed off awkwardly, pausing to clear her throat and chirp back up. "So! What happened?"

"If you _must know_," Sakura sighed defeatedly. "We kissed."

Hinata let out a small happy gasp while Ino let out a bored, "boooooo."

"I can't believe you kissed!" Hinata exclaimed, tying the end of Sakura's hair she had braided.

"I can't believe it, either," Sakura mused, thinking back to when he traced her bottom lip with his tongue and feeling a familiar throb.

"How did it happen?" Hinata asked at the same time Ino blurted, "Was it hot?"

Sakura glanced between the two, perplexed. Not that she was a total shut in, but Sakura never really had close gal pals; so what was rather private to her was obviously something women tittered over with each other. She knew this was a thing, she saw it in chick flicks all the time; but it was another altogether to have two of them pressing you for the details. Sakura reached for the towel in Ino's hands; swiping it and wrapping it around her frame, "It just happened. He started kissing me all over, and one thing lead to another..."

"Mmmmm," Ino hummed suggestively, wiggling her shoulders and eyebrows. "I bet that got you pretty worked up. Where was he kissing you?"

Sakura flinched, incredulous, "You are really nosey!"

"Uh, duh. Now come on, out with the details woman!" Ino snapped impatiently.

"Hinata, back me up," Sakura retorted, turning her head to Hinata who was plucking clothes off the counter to hand to Sakura.

"Actually," she grinned softly. "I really want to know, too."

"Ugh!" Sakura sneered hoarsely, flexing her fingers wide in frustration. "Like, my face and my neck and stuff—damn." Even though she was sort of flustered at how pushy Ino was; one, she wasn't surprised in the slightest and two, she kind of liked spilling the beans—just a little.

"That's it? He just starts kissing you all over?" Ino questioned skeptically.

"Well, no—obviously. He came in and just started talking to me, but like...kissing me in between? He'd say something to make me feel better, then kiss me."

"That's romantic," Hinata breathed, lifting the shirt over Sakura's head and tugging it down slowly; taking extra time to pull Sakura's arms through straps as carefully as she could. After, she pulled up black pajama shorts from the bottom of her legs and snapping them over her hips.

"Ah, so then you got all caught up and was like," Ino widened her stance, bringing her elbows to her sides and balling her hands into fists; brows furrowed seriously. "'Give it to me, lover boy!'"

Sakura chuckled, "I guess? It was mutual. I turned, we were face to face and it just...happened."

"Did you use tongue?" Ino wiggled her brows again, moving from her stance to grab a bottle from the bag of toiletries she bought.

"He did," Sakura answered, giving up the concept of privacy with Ino.

"Was it hot?"

"Yes." She finally admitted.

"You're in trouble," Ino chuckled, squirting the lotion in her hands and rubbing it gingerly on Sakura's legs. At the same time, Hinata was delicately tending to each of Sakura's wounds; applying the ointments and medicine Himari instructed to. If Sakura didn't know any better, she would feel like some turn-of-the-century queen the way the two women were taking care of her. It warmed her heart, if she was being honest. Between Kakashi and these two; she'd never received so much special attention. Her parents took good care of her, but they were pretty hard on Sakura handling a lot of things herself to breed independence and self-reliance in Sakura; which worked, to almost a fault.

"Trouble...?" Sakura echoed, raising her arms so Ino could rub more of the lotion on her. In fact, she didn't even know why Ino was putting lotion on her to begin with—it's not like she really needed it.

"Big, big trouble," Ino nodded knowingly, rubbing the lotion in on Sakura's chest before stepping back and setting the lotion down on the counter. "You two really want each other, you can practically smell the sex pheromones in the air being passed between you two."

"You're being gross," Hinata asserted, putting all of the medicine back in the bag.

"It's not gross, it's science," Ino deflected matter-of-factly. "Listen, I know that you can't do anything right now, and honestly I hope you know I'm just teasing you. BUT, _sister_, please tell me that you're going to do something about your front lawn before you two get jiggy with it."

"Uh..." Sakura blanked. "My front lawn?"

"Yeah, you know—your lady bits," Ino pointed a finger down.

"Ah!" Sakura puffed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm _saying_ that the seventies called and they want their bush back."

Hinata guffawed, covering her mouth to stifle her laughter; glancing down when Sakura glared at her.

Sakura crossed her arms, offended. "I don't 'mow the lawn,' Ino. I just trim the bushes...Besides..." a very slight, sly grin stretched on her face. "Kakashi told me he had a thing for the seventies, anyways..."

This time, it was Ino and Hinata who gaped in surprise; laughing after the small shock settled.

"Whatever you say," Ino sang. "I'm just saying most guys appreciate a smooth woman."

"Do you think I care what most guys appreciate?" Sakura bit back teasingly.

"Whatever," Ino repeated with a feckless pluck of her shoulder, opening the bathroom door. "I've got to go, now. You'll be fine, right?" She paused in the threshold of the door, looking back at Sakura.

"I'll be okay," Sakura mouthed. "Thank you, by the way...The both of you. I know this is a hassle, and I'm really sorry—but I really appreciate it and the both of you."

Hinata was at the door with Ino now, and both women were smiling at Sakura warmly. Each told Sakura it was no problem, and Ino followed up that she will check up on Sakura tomorrow after her shift. They waved their goodbyes, and marched down the hall; the sound of their voices conversing with Kakashi just dull murmurs she couldn't hear. With a low sigh, Sakura turned to face the mirror; groaning instantly when she caught sight of herself.

_Of fucking course, Ino._

She wondered why she didn't notice it when Hinata was rolling the outfit on her. The top was a black camisole, minus the extra layer of fabric that typically comes over the breast area. The fabric itself, though incredibly soft, was equally incredibly thin—her breasts caused the fabric to peak at the tips of her nipples that were obnoxiously visible. Speckled across the middle of the chest portion looked to be a trail of little white bunnies. The shorts were made of the same soft, thin fabric; stopping just below her ass cheeks and she was sure that would ride up with each step. If she didn't feel so hideous, she would have thought she looked sexy in a cute, lazy sort of way.

She cursed Ino under her breath, Ino's words ringing in Sakura's ears about making it her mission to get Sakura laid.

Sakura turned slightly, letting out another irritated groan when she got a look at her backside; sure enough, the edges of the pajama bottoms came up in opposite curves over the globes of her behind.

"Sakura?" Kakashi called from the front of the hall. "Is everything okay?"

Sakura jumped at the sound of his voice, too caught up in staring at the teasing pj's. "Uh, yeah...I'm fine. Everything's fine."

"Okay, well I've got dinner here, if you're interested," his voice fading as he stepped back into the kitchen.

For another ten minutes, Sakura remained in the bathroom—unwilling to walk into the kitchen just yet. No matter how hot the kiss had been, she wasn't sure she was ready to expose herself like this to him; and she was pretty _exposed._ Her legs looked especially long, with how short the pj bottoms were and how they curved to hug her form. The cami barely covered her torso, leaving a vast expanse of visible skin over her upper torso; barely covering her breasts. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was walking out and inviting him just because he kissed her; she didn't want to appear desperate or overly horny. More so, she didn't feel her sexiest so she doubt she would be able to exude the confidence that she had worked so hard over her years to maintain.

"Sakura? Are you sure you're okay?" Kakashi called again, closer this time.

"I'm-I'm fine!" She shouted too quickly.

"Do you need help with anything?"

"No...I'm fine," she called back.

"You're preaching to the choir," he chuckled.

Sakura grinned at his double entendre, taking three steady breaths and shaking her head slowly. She wished she had her pjs—maroon sweats and an old Pokemon t-shirt.

Taking shallow steps, she gradually made her way out of the bathroom, and pausing at the end of the hall, just out of sight of the kitchen and Kakashi. She stood there, frozen and feeling insecure. She couldn't believe she had to wear this, she felt practically naked.

"Sakura, are you standing in the hallway like some B-rated horror movie kid?" Kakashi teased from the kitchen. "Because if your next words are come play with me, I wouldn't know whether to be frightened or turned on."

Sakura giggled under breath, smoothing her sweating palms on the small patch of fabric the pj bottoms offered, "It's not that, I promise."

"Then what is it? Do I smell?"

"No," she sang back nervously. "It's Ino."

"Mh? Ino?" He echoed, confused. She heard the steps of his feet nearing her.

"Wait-STOP!" Sakura shouted, taking a slow step back.

The steps came to a sudden halt.

Sakura swallowed, peering down at her bare legs. She was thankful Hinata was sweet enough to shave them for her; one less thing to be embarrassed about.

"Did Ino molest you, Sakura?" Kakashi inquired, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"She assaulted me, alright—just not in the way you'd think...It's these pj's she bought me..." She explained delicately.

"I figured it wasn't the most modest clothing she got you," Kakashi drawled. "Ino isn't much for modesty anyways, so I assumed as much she wasn't going to do you any favors."

"Be that as it may," Sakura suspired. "I just feel really...exposed."

"If it makes you feel better," Kakashi began. "I've already seen you almost completely naked—remember? Cept, you had your dainty hands poised in jjjuuussst the right places because you had been-"

"That doesn't make me feel better," she grumbled, interrupting him.

As much as she hated it, he had a point. She had sexually assaulted him, and he ran in on her masturbating all in the same night; so what's a scanty pair of pjs?

"Alright, I'm going to step out," she warned from where she was.

"Alright," he mimicked casually. "I'm going to pour us our bowls of soup."

With one last intake of breath, she made her way out of the hall and stepping into the kitchen. Luckily, his back was facing her and he was doing exactly what he told her he was going to do; spooning soup into black bowls. "I made vegetable soup," he remarked. "I know you can't really eat the veggies, but I wasn't about to just give you broth. They'll add some flavor, and eventually as the week progresses if the veggies are soft enough we can..." he turned, a bowl in each hand. His sentence trailed off, onyx eyes openly raking her frame in the same manner he did when she was tending to him at the hospital. "Sakura, you're very hot," he smiled lopsidedly, moving to place the bowls on the kitchen table.

Sakura settled her eyes incuriously, cocking her head to the side, "You're just saying that."

"Mmmmhhmm..." he hummed, raising his chin and quirking one silver eyebrow naughtily; crossing the space from the table to stand in front of Sakura. "Unless you'd like me to prove it to you again? I don't mind, honestly," he winked at her saucily, placing his hand on her hip.

Sakura's skin leapt on contact, and she jabbed a small finger at his chest. "Since when did you get so familiar, pal?"

"Pal?" Kakashi echoed, placing a palm on his chest. "I think we're past that point, wouldn't you say?"

"Then what do you prefer?" Sakura challenged, lifting her chin to meet his gaze.

Kakashi hummed, peering up in thought, "Well, there's a select few. Kakashi, for starters."

"Naturally," Sakura remarked smoothly.

"There's partner...confidant...lover...one and only, best friend, baby daddy, great kisser, sex magnet, best-"

"Now you're just listing traits," Sakura rebuked.

He shrugged, "I got side tracked. I just want to impress you, with how hot you are and all."

"God," Sakura rolled her eyes. "I have never met anyone that is so...tacky..."

"Mmh, but I pull it off well, don't I?" He grinned, his other hand coming to land on the top of her left shoulder. Khol eyes combed over her body again, and when they flicked up to meet hers, she was greeted with a hunger she'd never seen before. She felt her cheeks go hot and her mouth run dry. He leaned in, slowly passing her mouth to whisper in her ear, "I don't mind, but I've got clothes you can change into if you'd feel more comfortable." He leaned back, dark eyes glittering at her disappointed expression. "What?" he quipped. "Were you expecting something?"

"You're a jackass," Sakura sighed, moving to side step him to head to the kitchen table.

"Wait," Kakashi chuckled, moving to get in her way. "I'm just teasing you."

"You're the second person to tease me tonight," Sakura noted with slight irritation.

"I'll be honest with you," he started. "I really want to kiss you again...but I feel like I have to ask permission."

"Why?" She breathed, noticing his hand had fallen back on her hip.

"Because I at no point want you to feel disrespected or taken advantage of. I don't want you to think that I would just assume things of you," he explained seriously, peering down into her eyes.

"I'll be honest with you," she mimicked quietly. "I think you're the last person in the world that would make me feel disrespected or taken advantage of."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Experience," Sakura answered easily.

Kakashi nodded knowingly, "Mine or yours?"

"Both."

"Kiba told me he spilled the beans," he stated, stepping back from her. "Let's eat our soup and talk, it's getting cold."

The pair sat at the table, and Sakura noted on how amazing the soup smelled. She stirred it with a spoon, sipping only small amounts she could manage. The contraction of her throat hurt to the point that she didn't want to eat, but she was so hungry she knew she had to finish as much as she could at a slow pace. The two ate in silence for several minutes before Sakura set down her spoon to take a break and speak up. "I'm sorry, you know."

"Sorry for what?" he inquired, taking a long sip of his water. She watched the way his throat flexed and his jaw tensed—she found herself staring a little longer than she'd admit to.

"For what happened to you," she answered, watching the way his brow ticked slightly.

"It happens, Sakura. I'm not hung up over it, I've grown up and moved on," he leaned back, resting an arm out fully against the table, regarding her with a cool gaze.

"I understand, I guess I just hate that it had to happen to you," she explained.

"I hate that it happened to you, too," he murmured, eyes earnestly paired with hers.

Sakura straightened, confused. "Ino told you...?"

He shook his head, "No. I just had a hunch, is all."

"Mh," she grunted, mindlessly stirring her soup. "I guess I made it pretty obvious?"

Kakashi raised a shoulder, jutting out his lip, "I wouldn't say obvious. I suppose it just takes one to know one."

Sakura remained silent. He wasn't asking it, hell—he wasn't pushing it even by the slightest, but she felt her chest tighten at the thought of opening up that part of her life to him. What would he even begin to think of her? Would he see her as weak for putting up with all of Sasuke's shit? Would he see her as damaged goods?

As if reading her mind, Kakashi spoke, "There's nothing you can say that would change my opinion of you. If you want to talk about it, you can. If you don't, we'll finish our soup and watch The Many Faces of Ito."

Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat, staring down at her thumbs and shaking her head, "It's a lot, Kakashi. Surely you don't want me to dump all my baggage on you."

"Try me," he challenged softly.

She waited, carefully weighing her options in her head. She could stop now, keep the past in the past and he'd be none the wiser. The problem with that is her experience with Sasuke made her who she is today, and she felt that if she were serious about getting involved with Kakashi—it's something he should know. The other part of her feared what he might think, and of all the options the latter was the most daunting. Telling Ino had been no problem, as she was looking at it from a friend's perspective. As a lover, it was an entirely different ballpark altogether. The thought dawned on her then, that this moment could be make or break for her depending on how Kakashi reacts. She could lay it all on the table; if he's meant to be involved with her, he'll respond accordingly. If he takes it in a negative manner, then obviously their paths aren't meant to cross the way she was begging to secretly want them to.

Sakura breathed in and out, picking her head up and bearing her eyes into Kakashi's waiting gaze.  
She let it all out.

From beginning to end, she explained to him every detail that she had even forgot to divulge in Ino. She told him about the cheating, the betrayal, the gaslighting; the awful things he'd tell her on a daily basis, and how stupid she felt for hanging around. She explained how trapped she felt, how she thought she loved him but that it died long, long before the relationship even progressed. She told him how she stayed around just for the comfort of company, to feel like she had a shot at intimacy—of which Sasuke never gave her. Every hidden emotion, every desperate thought; she relayed over to Kakashi. Sakura told him about the awful sex, how emotionless and selfish he was; how she was never fulfilled or satisfied with him. She told him about the spiteful hook ups and desperate attempts to rile some sort emotion out of the stoic man. She gave all the information she could, every story she could trudge; up until the breaking point, when she caught him in the apartment with the other two women. She followed with her healing process, how it took her months to undo what he'd ingrained into her head; further explaining why she felt like she couldn't trust just anyone, and how she felt like she had to protect herself at all costs because she didn't want to have her heart broken like that again. She didn't want to give herself wholly to someone, to feel totally intertwined with their being and just be tore to shreds. She told him how Tokyo was a fresh start for her, a longtime dream that she pursued after Sasuke. Kakashi remained silent the entire time, soaking in everything she was laying out and remaining calm except for the twitch of his brow, or slight grimace of his mouth. When she finished, silence stretched between them for a long, pregnant pause; all the while Kakashi stared at Sakura, tapping the kitchen table in slow, deliberate taps.

She felt uncomfortable in the silence; she felt the need to say something to help diffuse how raw and open she felt. The longer the silence stretched out, the more she began to think he wasn't responding the way she had hoped he would. For some reason, this hurt her; it was a pang in her chest that she was all too familiar with. "You know what, I'm sorry," Sakura stood up, grunting at the burning pain she felt with the sudden action. "I shouldn't have said anything," she muttered, walking through the living room to the set of glass sliding doors that she figured lead to the backyard. She needed air suddenly, she needed to leave the situation. She felt like a fucking idiot; a desperate, vulnerable moron. She took the leap to reveal a very delicate part of herself, and he was judging her for it. She should have fucking known better. She should have kept her mouth shut, but she didn't.

She jerked the doors open, biting down hard on her lip from how bad it hurt and stepping through into the cold night. The backyard had a patio made of weathered wood with a picnic table off to the left. The backyard was denser with vegetation than the front- it was so dark and thick with threes she couldn't see ten feet past the patio. The chilly night time air surrounded her slender shoulders like a freezing blanket, causing her to shudder immediately. She didn't even know what she was doing back there, but where else could she go? It's not like she could go back to her apartment, not unless she wanted to be attacked again.

Sakura froze.

Suddenly, the resentment she was feeling only seconds ago became replaced with gripping fear. Everything fell into place in a snap, reminding her she was in a dangerous situation. She glanced around, peering into the thick darkness nervously. What the fuck was she doing, putting herself out in the open like this? What if they were poised outside, just waiting for her to come out? To her right, the low wind whipped through leaves; alerting her and causing her to jump. Her breath billowed out in small cold puffs and she could feel her nose starting to prickle. The bottoms of her feet were burning from how cold it was, and though her frame was tremoring, her heart was pulsing at a beat too fast for her own comfort.

"Sakura, come back inside."

Sakura stiffened, slowly lifting her arms to cross them over her mid-section. She kept her back to him, too concerned with the darkness in front of her. Footsteps behind her became louder as he progressed, stopping directly behind her as he had in the bathroom. Long hands wrapped over the tops of her shoulders, turning her to face him. Sakura kept her eyes on the worn wood below her, fighting hard to control her body's shaking. A knuckle hooked under her chin, raising it up so her eyes were looking into his, surprising her. What she expected was the cold judgmental stare she often received from Sasuke regularly; what she got was a compassionate gaze, slightly concerned. "Why did you take off like that?" He inquired softly.

"I...I thought that you were..." She stammered, losing grip on her previous argument. "You didn't say anything, so I just thought that you were...thinking less of me...?" She closed her eyes. She felt as stupid as she sounded.

"I didn't say anything because I was feeling a lot of different emotions very strongly, and I was just processing them," Kakashi explained evenly. "Please don't mistake my silence as judgment."

"I'm sorry," she whispered in a hushed tone, opening her eyes again. She was being dramatic and stupid. She felt exhausted, then. The day had been insanely long, and its' effects were starting to show.

"You don't need to apologize to me, Usagi. You don't owe me shit, first of all," he adjusted his hand, brushing his thumb along her jaw. "Second, from the very depths of my being _I'm_ the one that's sorry. You're the last person I'd want to see having to go through what you endured with him—and I'm sorry it happened."

Sakura's teeth chattered, and she shook her head, "It's not your fault..."

"Hold on," Kakashi grunted, grabbing her hand and guiding her back into the warmth of the house. He slid the door shut, locking it behind him and pulling blinds over to cover it completely. Gradually Sakura began to thaw; her shivering subsided and the stinging sensation in her souls ebbed away. She glanced down at her toes, wiggling them before catching sight of something else completely.

She had almost completely forgotten the thin material she was wearing.  
She had stepped out into the cold night.  
Her nipples were practically stabbing through the feeble top.

Blushing, she raised her arms up with a grunt; crossing them tightly over her chest, pushing them up in attempts to cover her nipples with her forearms. At the same time, it didn't escape her notice his brief glance down before black eyes flicked back up to look at her with a humored gleam in them. She glared at him, twisting her torso sideways away from him, "Pervert."

"Absolutely," he chuckled, wrapping his hand around her hip. "Before you go off and tell the press I fell victim to Ino's ploy of putting you in sexy pajamas, let me just say something."

Sakura waited, not realizing that she had leaned her hip into his touch.

Kakashi's eye bore into hers with sincerity, "I understand why you feel the way you feel; why you protect yourself. Just also understand that what you've been through only makes me think you're stronger, and helps me to understand you even further. I need you to understand I'm not him; I'll treat you far better than he ever has, nor any other man for that matter."

"That's a mighty boast," Sakura commented huskily.

He shrugged, "I've got time to prove it."

"Don't you think it's weird?" She muttered.

"What is?"

"I don't know...I guess how close we feel? We haven't even gone on a date, yet you're saying all these things..."

"Yeah," he nodded. "It is weird. I've also stopped questioning it long ago, and just sort of went with the ride."

"It might take me longer..." she admitted quietly.

Kakashi grinned, "I'm a patient man...Now, you've had an incredibly long day, I bet you're fuckin exhausted."

"I am," she nodded tiredly, running her hands down the sides of her hips.

"And still cold," he smirked sinfully.

Sakura gasped, plucking her arms back up and feeling her cheeks heat up.

"I can get you a shirt and some sweats, if you'd be more comfortable in that," Kakashi offered.

"Um..." Sakura deliberated. "Yeah, just a shirt. The shorts I can handle..."

"Well I'm glad one of us can," he remarked, leaning in and kissing her fully on the lips; taking her breath away and sending warm tingles all over her body.

Was it going to be like this every time?

She pressed into him, moving her lips with his slowly at first; loving how each kiss lingered longer than the last. The hand around her hip squeezed; this thumb shifting under the fabric to brush on the bear skin there. She removed her arms from their crossed position, lifting them only halfway to set them against his hard stomach; stepping forward to close the distance that was between them. The kiss became hungrier then; mouths pushing against each other with mutual neediness. Deep within her a warmth had begun to spread, from her core and shooting out through her fingers and toes. Kakashi's whole hand slipped under her top, gripping just above her hip with his fingers splayed out to touch her ribs; causing her skin to jump and muscles to tighten in response. She had her chest pressed against his, her nipples now hard peaks that pressed through; the fabric of her top and the strong plane of his chest dragging over them at the same time he nipped her lower lip and snuck his tongue into her mouth. The succession caused a slight, raspy, quiet moan to rip itself from the center of her throat and her torso to shudder at the sparks of pleasure she felt with his chest against her painfully tight buds.

Kakashi hummed deep in his chest, deepening the kiss even further and his free hand travelling down from the back of her shoulder to cup her behind; starting from just behind the apex of her core and pulling up in a gruff squeeze. Sakura panted against his lips, taken back by his bold ministration and pressing her hips flush against his body; wiggling her fingers under the edge of his shirt and trailing up to feel the molded muscle there. Using her fingertips, she traced the valley of his abdominals, delighting in the way they twitched and tightened underneath her touch. The hand that had been gripping her behind slid over the curve, down to the back of her thigh, and trailing up the back of her inner thigh; dipping in again where her hamstrings met her center, very nearly brushing her entrance and pulling back up in another tight squeeze. Feeling bold, Sakura took the opportunity to bite down on his lip and suck it back with a tug. Instantly Kakashi shifted, right foot stepping out to the side and his left foot jutting between her feet to nudge them apart; pushing his knee between her legs and bringing him even closer to her. In that stance, the length of his thigh was pressed tight against her sex, and the rough material of the jeans grazed her throbbing heat through the thin material of her shorts; fanning the flame that was now roaring within her.

Whatever sensibility she had was long gone.  
Modesty, insecurity, and inhibition dissolved into goo.

His touch felt so good, leaving fine trails of heat with goosebumps in their wake. His kiss was addicting, she couldn't get enough of his taste. Tension rolled off his strong body in waves and she wanted nothing more than to climb the towering tree that was Kakashi. He leaned in, the hand that was over her ribs slid down to the back of her hip and pulled her higher up on his thigh; completely closing what little distance was between her core and his leg. Being that close, any slight movement tugged up through her center, and the subtle dragging felt so good that it literally made her body ache with instant need. His hand flexed around her hip, angling her down and very slowly pulling her center up his thigh while pressing his thigh further through. He did this carefully, grinding her hot sex against his thigh several times; each drag just a little harder than the last, lifting his knee to apply more pressure—not once breaking the heated kiss. With each heavy drag her breath would hitch, billowing out in breathy, hiccupped gasps. The scene was erotic—he was guiding her hip to grind on his thigh leisurely. She didn't think something like this would cause pleasure, but every time he brought her hip down and up a small burst of desire would echo along her clit agonizingly; the action so languid while her body was screaming to increase the pace. It was pure torture, just enough pleasure to send a fresh wave of electricity throughout her body, but not enough to put her over the edge. Mindlessly, she grasped his sides and drug herself up his thigh with a hard roll of her torso and hips.

The cry that escaped her lips was not one of delight.  
At the motion, Sakura was warranted a sudden, sharp stabbing pain that unwillingly brought her back to earth.

Kakashi stiffened, pulling his knee back and detracting his hands from her body; breaking the kiss and leaning over, "Are you okay?" His voice was thick and husky, his eyes burning and dark.

She nodded, chewing on her lower lip and squeezing her legs together to offset the fading pulses she felt.

He shook his head, running a hand through thick silver locks and chuckling, "You are going to break me."

"I'm sorry?" she grated, pink brows twitching down.

"I told myself to not let things get out of hand because you're hurt right now," he explained evenly. "I've never had one person challenge my control like you seem to do."

"Oh," Sakura remarked shortly. "I'm sorry...I guess I took it too far..."

Kakashi wiggled a finger at her, "No, ma'am. Please, _please_ take it as far out of hand with me as you want- when you're healed and feeling better. Right now we've got to be careful, we can't risk you getting hurt again or your stitches re-opening. How would we explain that to Ino, hmmm? That you tore them open dry humping me?"

"She'd eat that up," she commented with a grin.

He nodded, eyebrows raised, "Oh yeah, she'll eat it up and she won't let us live it down." He moved in, nearing her and kissing her birthmark on her forehead gently; muttering up against it, "You're not in the right physical state to be doing things like this right now. I even took extra special care in moving your body for you as to not hurt you. Well, that and it's just really hot."

"We can take it slow," Sakura suggested, freezing once she realized the words that came out of her mouth. She almost didn't recognize herself. He was bringing out in her a woman who had been repressed in so long that she was rearing her head with a vengeance; threatening to take over and consume her.

Kakashi chortled, leaning back to regard her with a surprised expression, "Don't tell me there's a woman hornier than I am?"

She smiled, scraping her teeth against her lip to settle her nerves. She was aggravated, she didn't want to talk. She wanted action, she wanted to feel his hands on her skin again.

"Just be patient," he suggested, kissing her forehead again. "Once you're better, we will have all the time in the world. So, let's make a deal: no sex until after this month of healing is over. No heavy petting, either."

"A whole month?" She admonished, glaring at him. Somewhere in her mind a voice reminded her that they had just barely kissed, and that what he was asking wasn't bad by any means; it just so happened that the voice of the repressed woman was louder. She felt as though she had waited long enough, considering most people sleep with each other within a week or so of meeting. As much as she wanted to dwell on the injustice, rationality started to set in as her sex-hazed mind began to clear.

"We can't take any chances. You wouldn't even be able to be in the moment because you'd be hurting so bad. It's not worth to ruin what's going to be an outstanding moment between us. I want to make sure you're healthy and healed before anything else."

"Fine," Sakura huffed, still agitated. Now that the line has been crossed and she's tasted blood, she couldn't imagine staying under the same roof as him and _not_ fooling around. When she was at her apartment, she couldn't get him off of her mind and she often helped herself out to relieve the pressure. Being in his presence? Being able to kiss him? It was achingly unfair.

She didn't think she'd have the same steel composure that Kakashi appeared to have.

"Now, if you'll excuse me- I've got to go take a cold shower. The shirts are in the dresser, grab whichever one you want. The bed is yours to sleep on, I'll be making a cot on the ground. Oh, and there's a big bag on the dresser; that's yours." He broke away with a haughty grin, brushing past her to clean up in the kitchen.

Once Kakashi was done and took off to shower, Sakura made her way to the bedroom; changing into one of Kakashi's grey shirts painstakingly slow, and settling in the bed; snuggling tightly with three incredibly fluffy blankets that were in the bag he was telling her about. One was black, one was white, and the other a baby blue; all three unendingly soft to the point that she wanted to tangle herself in them if she didn't have to lay on her back. The sounds of the shower echoed into the bedroom, and it became a white noise that served to host Sakura's thoughts. Her body still thrummed from when his hands were on her, the proof was obvious between her legs. She hated to admit that Kakashi was right; she was in no position to be partaking in extracurricular activities. That didn't change the fact that she wanted to push the envelope; she wanted to go beyond her comfort zone with Kakashi, in more ways than just the bedroom. She was beginning to step into his space; to experience a world where he was a part of it as equals, instead of revolving around him. He had given her confidence, the tender way he assured her with compassion and consideration. He lit a fire in her that she was sure had died out long ago with Sasuke. Sakura wasn't sure exactly where this would go, but she also felt like there was no pressure to take it anywhere specifically—just as long as he was a part of it.

She wasn't too sure when everything changed for her. She couldn't pin point it to one moment, or a series of them; she just knew that it has changed. Kakashi was beginning to be a person she wanted in on every aspect of her life; her secrets, fears, and desires. She knew it wasn't instant, all things took time; but for once she felt confident and sure about trusting him.

The day had been longer than long, and now that she was laying in an impressively comfortable bed; sleep began to encroach in on her senses. Maybe it was because she was beyond exhausted, maybe it was because she had experienced the hottest make out sessions she's ever had the pleasure of being a part of; but Ino's words started to creep into her mind, telling her about what women would divulge in her after a romp with him. She had figured that maybe it was just talk, considering he happened to be charming in a careless sort of way—but she didn't doubt it now. Sasuke was so passionless, and he used to act like he was doing a favor by "fucking her senseless" which really was only doggy style until he came and collapsed on her. There was almost never any foreplay, and if there was it was uncomfortable due to how pushy he was. Most of the time, sex hurt because she wasn't primed in the slightest. Even her past lovers and random hook ups couldn't compare to just simple heavy petting with Kakashi. She figured dry humping was a thing horny teenagers did; he more than proved her wrong. It turned her on to think about the careful way he guided her hips, as if introducing her to what love making with him would be like. From the bathroom, she heard the water cut off and her mind took her to even more dangerous places.

When she ran her hands over his stomach, the feeling was by far more satisfying than she'd like to give him credit for. She'd seen fit men before; she's even slept with a few of them, but it was something about his skin reacting under her touch that held more weight. Maybe it was because of the chemistry between them, or purely because he just so happened to be a hot slice of man that she was witness to herself; both played a perilous factor. She imagined how he must be looking right now, stepping out of the shower with water droplets falling over his broad chest, down his taunt stomach, and trailing even lower. Ino's words rang in again. Ino had said something about the team teasing him about his size, and how it made Naruto uncomfortable with how "big" it was.

Surely, _surely_ they have to be acting dramatic about it.

When she was pressed tight against him, she doesn't remember feeling anything pressing through his pants; then again, she was so focused on what she was feeling that everything else melted around her. She could ask Naruto about it if she really wanted, but asking straight out would put a target on her and probably make Naruto uncomfortable. She could "run in" on Kakashi in the restroom, but that would just add to the growing list that was Sakura being a sexual deviant. She could ask Kakashi himself, but he'd be so goddamned smug and he'd tease her endlessly about it. Her curiosity burned, because she felt like one man really couldn't have it all. Charm, good looks, a nice body—_and_ a big dick on top of it. Everyone had flaws, and his couldn't be just that scar down his face, to which she didn't even consider a flaw to begin with; it appealed to her, if she was being honest. Considering all her options, she took a page from Ino's "Pervert 101" that Ino had told her once when they were having lunch together. "Look for a package," she asserted with a curt nod of her head. "If all you see is balls, chances are their dick is small. If you see a lump hunched over the balls, hop on that shit, bitch!"

Christ, Ino was _crass._  
Regardless, if the opportunity arouse; that's exactly what she was going to do...

Wait.  
Who was she kidding?  
Was she really that wound up that she'd really consider checking out a guy's junk?

Sakura shook her head and sighed, "Easy, girl."

The bathroom door opened, catching her attention and watching steam billow out in light clouds. Through the haze, she saw him step out; brushing his teeth and heading over to the dresser. Silver hair had flopped over considering it was typically shot out in a mussed and wild shock. The same bolt of desire that she felt earlier managed to make itself known again at the sight of him. He wore nothing but black boxers and, which his back turned to her while he dug in the dresser, she got a nice view of his surprisingly toned ass. Had she been feeling better and not hurting, she would of leapt up in a heartbeat to smack it; just to see if it'd smack her back with how firm it appeared. His legs were long, muscular, and toned; covered in silver hair. Just like the rest of his body, his back was just as fit; defined, however speckled with just as many scars as she saw on his chest when she stitched his wound. Knowing now what he actually does for a living—rather, she had an idea about it—she wondered how often he got hurt that would warrant scars like these. Was it during every job he went on? How did he handle the pain, was he jaded to it by now or was he-

_Oh. My. Fucking. God._  
_You have got to be kidding me._

During her train of thought, the man had the fucking audacity to turn around; granting her the viewing pleasure of the front of his body—and his boxers. What had Ino said? If something was hanging over and...fuck. She couldn't think straight. This must be some sick joke from the universe, some shit pulled straight out of the romance novels her mom used to read by herself all the time. Was it supposed to be that...thick? It quite literally bulged out of the allotted space boxers had for men's package, there was no room to spare and for a split second she felt interested and nervous. Sasuke was just average, and she'd only been with one guy who was below average; but she felt, it wasn't the size but how you use it. That being said, _if_ he was as big as his bulge let on...Sakura felt like a teenager, she was practically gaping openly at him; eyes wide and jaw agape. Kakashi stood there, toothbrush in his mouth and a pair of black pajama pants in his free hand. His eyes followed her gaze, smiling smugly around the toothbrush when he realized the target of her attention. Onyx eyes flicked back to hers, and Sakura snapped her jaw shut instantly and opted to glare at him. He gave her a crafty wink, meandering back to the bathroom with an aloof swagger.

Sakura laid her head back on the pillow, cursing under her breath.

If things weren't already bad enough, this was going to be one hell of a month.

Two and a half weeks have passed since Sakura has been staying at Kakashi's house; her muscles already feeling better, the bruises were almost faded away though not completely for the deeper ones. Her voice was still marred, and all the other wounds were still working on healing; altogether, better than when she had started. The ruptured blood vessels were completely gone; that side of her face no longer red and swollen. The scratches on the other side were almost completely healed, except it seemed two of the four—one laying diagonal from the corner of her eye, and another right underneath just over the top of her cheek bone—seemed to be taking longer to heal and she worried they would scar. Granted, the first several days were some of the hardest in her life. Even regular actions seemed to be some grand feat, and for the most part she had to rely on others to help her. The team took turns in coming to stay with her when Kakashi had to leave for a job. Typically it was Ino if she didn't have a shift at the hospital, Hinata, Tenten, or Temari. If they were busy, Kiba would stop by, Shikamaru, and she even had the delight of spending the day with Choji. She found she got along easily with all of the team, and while sometimes she could feel the panic starting to set in; none of them gave her the chance to dwell on it. They almost always had something to do, or they'd talk her up until she couldn't talk anymore. With the girls, it was usually beauty sessions of face masks and someone painting her toes. Shikamaru brought Shogi with him and taught Sakura to play. Kiba typically took to watching something on TV, and they made it a game of who could talk the most shit about the characters. Choji always brought bags and bags of food with him; to either snack on or he'd have her cook a meal with him. Neji and Shino were always out doing something, however they'd pop in from time to time just to check in on her. Anytime Hinata was over, Naruto would be over every other time—either chatting it up with Kakashi and anyone else there, bringing his gaming console to play, or just annoying everyone happily. She learned Rock Lee ran a dojo full time, so in between jobs, the club, and his dojo—it came around seldomly, albeit he was still very happy to be around.

Sakura was learning that the team was just really one big family, and she was starting to like the idea of being a part of these people's lives. She would worry what the future would hold, but she'd quickly cast it off to simply be in the moment with these people. She found that she blended in really easily with them, and she would get excited seeing any one of them walking through the door. She was thankful they kept her so preoccupied, but even still she had small moments where she would be erratically gripped by fear. She'd become paranoid, nervous when she'd hear someone was off on a job and wondering if it had to do with Sota. She'd ask as casually as possible about where they were at, if they've gotten any closer to catching him or not. Each person was a steel trap, casting her request off with a dismissive wave telling her, "We've got it handled," and then quickly changing the subject. When she was alone, even if for a couple minutes, she tried not to think about what could possibly be happening; if Sota was lurking around her job or if he'd find a way to get ahold of her parents. These happened more often than not when she was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling in a quiet brood. Every time, Kakashi could somehow tell what she was thinking; and every time he'd manage to convince her that it was going to be okay, be it by kissing her or telling her.

As far as no fooling around went, Sakura was having a hard time controlling her body's response to Kakashi. Her skin behaved as though she'd never been touched before; each reaction seemed to fuel longer, more intense than the last. He'd done a good job at keeping their interactions PG—he was even making sure to keep the kissing to simple chaste kisses, to her disdain. They hadn't kissed each other in the same manner they did her first night there. For every time she'd grow a little bold, he'd merely chuckle at her and pull back in a gentle reprimand. She wondered where the man mustered all that self-control; she was nearly bursting at the seams. Night after night she was graced with the sight of him in just pajama bottoms. It didn't help that in the mornings, he looked too goddamned sexy for his own good. His wolfish voice would manage to come off lower, huskier, and raspy. His hair would be more mussed than usual, and the way his heavy-lidded eyes looked at her and he'd flash her a lopsided grin—she was sure she was going to die from repressed sexual tension. Sometimes, she even felt like he was purposely teasing her, just to see how far he can get before she acts.

It was subtle, as subtle as it could be considering how they interacted the first time around. They would be doing fine, casually chatting about something or other, when he'd almost instantly be in her space; leaning over her, behind her, or to her side. He'd whisper, most of the time it was in regards to the conversation they were having, but the problem was his words practically dripped with sex appeal. His touches would be fleeting and lingering; a light brush along her hip, a warm trail down her arm, or a soft squeeze around the nape of her neck. Every time he closed the distance between them, she wanted nothing more than to reach up and wrap her arms around his neck now that she was able to move freely again—though she was having to stretch every morning and night, as Ino instructed her to do because Himari told her to. Sometimes she'd catch him looking at her a certain way, his midnight eyes would burn with feelings she was too nervous to dissect. As well, if the playful flirting and teasing was bad before, it had become worse.

To diffuse her sexual frustration, Sakura often made teasing jabs at him in some manner regarding the topic. In the beginning, it was innocent enough; it made her feel a little better to laugh it off with him. He'd obviously tease her back, and she realized the banter between her and Kakashi was one she really enjoyed. It was only after awhile that his responses became dangerous, words dripping like melted chocolate over her ears and making her body clench. At this point, she figured he was purely trying to get a rise out of her; his smug smile at her red face was proof enough. She'd try to play it off, tease him back and giggle away the intensity—but left alone, typically during a shower, his words would bounce around her head in haunting echoes that always ended in her hands straying somewhere lower. Since she was able to shower by herself after the first five days, she'd release some of the pressure she was feeling being around this man—and even then, it almost wasn't enough. She felt as though she were one of those old bombs under the sea; ready to blow at the slightest touch. It made her crazy, and a part of her was hoping the next week and a half would hurry so she could have full reign. Then again, since time had passed and there was considerable space between them; she felt almost nervous at the thought of being intimate with him. Sakura felt anxious even, because she didn't know exactly what she was going to do. Was it supposed to be planned? Or simply random? Would it be as hot as the first time, or better since they've gotten to know each other even more?

Sakura has learned a lot of things about Kakashi since staying with him. He was an avid reader; he'd typically have a novel in his hand while they sat and watched TV; a series called Icha Icha. He's actually really neat and kept together, he always did the dishes after dinner and put things in their respectable places when he was done. Breakfast was his favorite meal of the day, and the morning when Sakura had graduated from soft foods to full on meals; he went all out. Coffee, juice, tea, miso soup, fried eggs and natto with white rice—and her favorite omelet, full of fresh veggies. Sakura had never woken up to breakfast before, but walking in on him cooking shirtless to Love Train was something straight out of a Cosmo magazine. She didn't even know men like this existed, but here was—making her breakfast and slapping the top of the omelet in a very suggestive manner. Even if he was gone most of the time on jobs, she still got to see him in the mornings and in the evenings. Every three days or so, he'd be home all day and they'd lounge around together—him still keeping her at a considerable distance. He's offered her several times to go for a walk around the property—there was a trail and a pond—but every time she'd step out her anxiety would get the best of her. He decided then that they would take her out in doses, until she felt comfortable being out again.

Sakura hated that her fear was still managing to get to her.

Since the first night, Sakura hadn't had an episode like she did when she arrived here. Kakashi, along with everyone else, was really happy that she was sleeping soundly for the most part—and she had been happy, too. Sakura worried if it was something that was going to happen all the time, but after the first week she decided that it wasn't something she'd have to worry about any more. At least, that's what she had thought.

Two days into the second week, that notion shattered to pieces.

She doesn't really remember what happened; what could have triggered it. All she remembers is dreaming of Sota—except that he was this disfigured, hideous man looming over her. It was a nightmare of rape, of being held down and stabbed and cut into pieces. Sota would laugh, but the laugh was of the man that had attacked her, and it would echo within the dream over and over; only becoming so loud to the point it was deafening. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out, she would jerk her wrists and legs; but other faceless men sat there and held them still. She couldn't escape, she couldn't scream; she was a victim to this man's twisted onslaughts, helpless to do anything but lie there to be tortured again and again.

Sakura woke up with Kakashi over her; knees on either side of her hips and hands holding her wrists firmly. His silver brows were quirked with concern and his wide-eyed gaze told her she had probably been freaking out badly. Her already hoarse throat felt more sore than usual, and he told her she had been screaming at the top of her lungs for nearly ten minutes. When she asked what she did, Kakashi explained that at first her body had been thrashing and that's what woke him up—he was immediately thinking she was having a seizure; but when she began to blindly throw punches at him he knew she was having a nightmare. Even though he had calmed her down, every time she closed her eyes all she'd see was a disfigured face looming over at her; cackling and mocking her. It was only when she crawled over the edge of the bed to peer down at Kakashi, who was staring up at her and running his hands through his silver hair; waiting for Sakura to speak.

"Hey...do you think you could maybe..." Sakura trailed off, glancing down at her hands and sighing. She had felt like a little kid.

"Sleep with you?" He finished calmly.

Sakura nodded.

Kakashi pulled himself up, "Alright," he sighed, grinning slightly. "But no funny business, I am a man of god and remember you're still hurt."

He crawled up onto the bed with her, tucking himself into the blankets and laying his hand flat across her stomach. Their eyes met for an immeasurable amount of time until she fell back asleep.

Since then, Sakura has been sharing the same bed with Kakashi. His frame took up the bed, and each night she'd creep just a little closer; feeling protected and safe. Even still, every other night she's been having night terrors, to which he's been patiently handling. Neither of them could figure out what was triggering them, try as they might there was nothing they could do but ride them out. Sakura had no idea how he was so patient, she felt that he would have complained by now, or told her something about it; but that was never the case. Any time she went to apologize he'd silence her with a quick pecks until she gave up altogether. She was incredibly thankful for Kakashi, for his team, and for the safety. She didn't know what she could do to make it up to them, so she always settled for letting everyone know as often as she could she genuinely appreciated them.

Last night had been particularly hard—she had a nightmare that Sota had managed to capture her parents, and the dream consisted of her watching them being beat to death while she was tied down to a chair. The cries of her mother seemed to pierce through her dream, breaking her out of her sleep kicking and screaming. Kakashi had pulled her into his arms, holding her there until the screaming had become broken sobs. The dreams of herself getting hurt were one thing, but of her parents being tortured was completely different. She couldn't stand the thought of them being put in danger because of her; and would never forgive herself if something were to happen to them. Kakashi patiently reminded her that her parents are across the globe; that Sota wouldn't go so far as to dispatch men across the world because that wasn't his jurisdiction. Once Sakura had calmed down, she fell back asleep and ended up waking up around early noon.

Sakura padded to the kitchen, where Kakashi was standing in the front doorway talking to the red-haired man named Gaara. They mumbled words to each other she couldn't hear, but once she made her way into the kitchen, they both stopped talking and glanced over at her. Kakashi raised a palm to Gaara, mouthing something to which Gaara gave a slow nod, and Kakashi strode her way.

"Hi," Sakura croaked, still rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"Yo," Kakashi smirked, using his palm to guide her down the hall and back into the bedroom. Once in, he shut the door behind him and stopped a foot in front of her; regarding her confused expression. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Sakura admitted, feeling her thigh twitch when Kakashi's hand went to draw up and down lazily with his finger. She was wearing one of his shirts, along with a different pair of pajama shorts Ino had bought her; so naturally the majority of her legs were revealed, but after some point she stopped being bothered by it.

"There's coffee on the pot for you," he whispered, leaning in to plant a kiss on the corner of her jaw.

"Um..." Sakura's mind went blank, and her heart rate shot up a little. "What...?"

"I'm going to be on a job most of the day," he continued, kissing down her neck. "Later tonight the team will be over." He kissed across her collar bone to the other side of her neck tenderly, leaving no inch untouched by his lips.

Sakura swallowed, slightly panting, "For what?"

"Once a month we have a small get together, it helps us to relax when the jobs get tough," he answered lowly, now using his nail to scrape along the goosebumps on her thigh. "Choji and Shikamaru will be showing up sometime later in the evening to start cooking. Everyone else will sort of trinkle in. I should be back by six before everyone shows up, in the meantime Gaara will be here to hang out with you."

"Oh, yeah...K-kiba told me about that..." Sakura stuttered, flexing her hands and shifting when his hand moved to trail along her inner thigh. Kakashi removed his lips from her neck to press them fully on her mouth, squeezing her thigh and smiling against her lips when she jumped in response.

Sakura pulled away, almost dizzy, "What...what are you doing?"

"Hmmm..." he kissed her again, painstakingly slow. "You had a really tough night last night. I just wanted to make you feel a little better." His lips traveled up her throat, settling just below her earlobe while his hand went back to making the same lazy lines.

"You did make me feel better..." she commented, her voice just as hazy as her mind felt. "Don't we have another week and a half...?"

Kakashi smiled against her neck, "Whose counting?" He nipped the flesh there, letting out a low rumble of a chuckle when she jumped again. "And who says that was my intention...I just want to make you feel better, Sakura." His hand moved to her inner thigh again, fingers dragging up in the crease between her thigh and pubic area to fold around her hip. The familiar neediness began to ache again, and she squeezed her thighs together to offset the pang there.

"Maybe too good," she muttered, hating how her body flexed at the contact. Never in her life has she been so _eager_ for someone to touch her. Never in her life has she wanted attention from a man than she did Kakashi. It both excited and frightened her.

"No such thing," he murmured roguishly, kissing the corner of her mouth lightly before wrapping his arm around her and kissing her with such an intensity that her head felt light. His hand moved from her hip to trail down to the back of her knee, raising it to hook around him; palm running back and forth over her thigh. He continued the dizzying kiss, pulling away once or twice to kiss her shoulder and let her breathe. Sakura felt her mind whirling and her body reacting erratically; she pulled her arms up to wrap around his neck and pull his lips down to her's again—pressing her pink tongue past his lips and into the cavern of his mouth. Carefully she scrapped her teeth along his tongue, pulling it into her and drawing it in with her full lips; all the while her hips making subconscious rolls against him without her even realizing it. Kakashi cupped the cheek of her leg that was wrapped around him, dark eyes glittering as he thrust up hard into her; warranting a heavy gasp of surprise from Sakura. The motion caused a pulse of electricity of shock itself at the point of contact, and she could feel her wetness soaking through her thin shorts. The force behind it was just hard enough, and at the angle of which he was doing it at just right enough; that she felt the pressure of pleasure over her clit. She ran one hand down his torso hungrily, moving to shove it under his shirt when he gently placed her leg down and ran soothing circles on the tops of her shoulders to digress her. Sakura scowled, thoroughly irritated with this man.

As soon as it started, it was over.

Kakashi leaned back, seemingly satisfied with whatever expression was on Sakura's face, "If you need me for anything, don't hesitate to call."

"I need you for something..." she grunted, tugging the shirt over her pubic area. "You're being unfair. You said no heavy petting." She was practically pouting. Sakura never pouts, for anything in her life—let alone a man.

Christ, she had it real bad.

Kakashi shrugged, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I am doing my duty as a partner to make sure that my woman feels good—it's medical."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "My ass it's medical."

He smiled, twin rows of pearly teeth reveling themselves wolfishly, "I'll be back by six." He kissed her on the lips once more, chaste and sweet, before exiting the room; leaving Sakura still heated and needing.


	18. Consumed

Ticking off Sota's men had been easier than Kakashi anticipated. Unsurprisingly, the grunts were easy to trace—most of them hung around the dinger parts of Tokyo; adult-clubs, run down pubs, and sketchy clubs. Most of the time, it didn't even take force. Once of the girls would sweet talk the grunts and have them eating out of the palm of their hand, leading them into a back alley where some of the team would be waiting to bag them. From there the team would take the grunt—or grunts, depending—to the club to be interrogated. For the most part, every grunt knew about the same amount of information. They knew Sota had a place he took off to, but none of them knew where. When asked if they were instructed to hunt a pink haired woman down, they all gave the same answer: capture her if they see her doing their other assignments and deliver her to Sota ASAP. They were told to scope the streets of Tokyo, and while most of them were just looking for women or buyers; it was a special group of men who were directed to go out of their way to hunt Sakura down.

That was Sota's three main errand boys.

Another thing about grunts is that they talk pretty easily, so getting information on who Sota's main helpers are wasn't hard in the slightest; and the answers have always been consistent. Before, the team was merely tracing men they assumed could be working directly under Sota; they knew there was three of them, they just didn't know who until grunts began to crack. Hisato, Reiji, and Riichi. Hisato was a short, lima bean shaped man, but as far as they knew he did a lot of delegating between buyers, sellers, and Sota; handling all financial aspects. Reiji and Riichi were brothers; even though Riichi was two years older than Reiji, they'd be confused as twins. Both were stacked, meaty men who were tall and equally wide. Reiji was in charge of handling the women they'd take, while Riichi was considered a Repo man. He'd show up to client's doorsteps, either revoking the woman and killing the buyer; or walking out with hefty checks written out to Sota. Through most of the grunts, Sota has made it his personal goal in taking these three men off of their regular assigned jobs and tending to finding Sakura (though they obviously weren't having any luck). Once they'd get all the information they could, the team would send the grunts off to the detectives; cashing in grunt after grunt.

As soon as they got names and some general descriptions of Sota's three, the team wasted no time in narrowing down where these men were and how often. They knew because they were together on a generalized mission it wouldn't be easy to pick them off, but if they could figure out where each one went on their own time then maybe they'd have some luck. In the time they've been doing all this grunt work, it's taken about the two full weeks that Sakura's been at his house—so they felt like they were making good timing, in a sense. While most of the team worried about keeping her away from home for too long, Kakashi secretly didn't mind the notion.

In the time that he's really got to spend with Sakura, he's learned a lot about her. For one, Sakura has a strict nighttime regime that, after Ino bought the right stuff, she'd always do in a specific order despite if it were really late or she was really hurting. He learned that she was really inquisitive, she wanted to know everything about whatever topic, down to the very slightest detail. She was way sassier than he had anticipated, but it only served to draw him in more to her. He found himself looking forward to coming home to one of her smartass quips after a tough job. He loved how independent she was, and also how the more she opened up to him; she was expressive to a fault, which made him understand why she closes up the way she does. He admired her sense of pride, her sense of humor, and her heart. Behind that tough, unbreakable steel wall was a very tender, soft, and sultry woman. He was granted more and more glimpses of that woman, gleaming in her green eyes and flashing a brilliant smile at him. He loved how messy her hair looked in the mornings, and he loved how her long legs managed to get tangled with his when they fell asleep. He loved the way she always grasped her coffee cup with both hands and inhaled the aroma every time before she'd take a sip. He loved how her smell had permeated his entire household; bed, sheets, pillows, shirts—and even his own hair and skin sometimes. He wanted to bury his nose into her flesh and inhale as deep as he possibly could.

There was a lot of things he wanted to do.

The optimistic man in him would say that he's the master of control, and that there's not a single thing out there that could break his iron-will. The realist in him said that he's barely managed to get by with the skin of his teeth. If anyone was going to break him, it was undoubtedly Sakura—and gods damn Ino for buying those fucking PJ's. There was nothing necessarily _sexy_ about the articles of clothing themselves, they were just thin pajama shorts. But when Sakura wore them, her long legs became unendingly long. The thin fabric curved over the globe of her ass like a second skin; stretched tight like the stitching could tear apart any minute. When she wore jeans, she had an impressively nice ass. When she wore those fucking pjs, it nearly became too much for him to handle. He'd find himself staring for way too long, following the sway of her hips back and forth like a grandfather clock if she'd walk to go do something. What's worse, is in the instances that he has very gladly taken into heavy petting with Sakura—he could smell her arousal past the thin veil of those shorts and it only served to drive him wilder. Nothing ever distracted him from a job at hand, however he found thinking back to Sakura more often than not on a job. He wanted nothing more than to just ravish her completely, to give her the passion and desire she'd been robbed of. He wanted to be the name off of her lips, he wanted to be on her, attached to her, over her, in her, around her, witnessing her; when she jumped off the brink of desire and let herself fall into the mulled depths. He wanted to watch her face when it happened, knowing he was the reason it was happening. He wanted to take her to new heights, push her further than she's ever been made to go before. He wanted to see the woman she had been hiding for so long—he wanted to be the one she wholly reveals herself to, and opens herself up to.

But she was still hurt.  
At least, that's what he thought.

Sakura has done a lot of healing in the short amount of time; the way she was able to roll her body over his this morning was proof enough of that. Even though he was with Kiba, Shika, Shino, and Lee today following one of Riichi's apparent "midnight women" he visits often—he couldn't get Sakura off of his mind. He wasn't necessarily out of it, but it was still noticeable among the other men. They had followed the woman—Kami—all over the shadier parts of Tokyo. She had stopped at several apartments, no doubt doing what was in her job description. They then followed her to a small meat market, a clothing store, a beauty salon; and were now sitting in the car outside another different apartment waiting for her to come out. Several hours of silence passed between the men before Shikamaru was the first to speak up.

"Should we stop here?" Shika suggested, turning his attention from the apartment to Kakashi who was sitting in the passenger seat.

"They could have paid for extra time," Kakashi mused out loud.

"She could be holding out," Shino added from the back seat. "Even if she didn't see us, she was shifty to begin with."

"Could be a family member?" Lee piped up, bushy brows pulled down in earnest. "It's still just barely the evening, the sun hasn't even set so she wouldn't be doing any real work."

"She did real work in the morning," Shika countered. "From what we know, the pimp she works for has a strict time regime with his women. Most clients are really granted only an hour and some change—then they've got to move onto the next client. Whoever is here has to be someone she knows. Whether or not it's a family member, we don't know. We'll have to do some research on who lives here to find out if any of them have a connection with her. If we can figure out what she does on a day to day basis and get her alone to ask about Riichi without her freaking out—we will. If we have to use leverage, like whoever lives here, we will. It's just a matter of finding out."

"I don't think we should resort to leverage," Kiba interjected. "She's a prostitute, right? Why not just pay her for the information."

Shikamaru gazed at Kiba through the rearview mirror, "Are you going to dole out your own money for it?"

"No," Kiba cut in an irritated tone. "We can just ask Tsunade for the funding."

"She's not going to fund that," Kakashi retorted coolly. "We are five men very capable of just seducing the answer out of her, in Tsunade's eyes."

"I'm not seducing a prostitute," Kiba growled.

"It might be easier than the other two options," Shino remarked evenly. "Isolating her seems impossible, just from the time we've been following her she's never been alone. Using leverage may send her running into the arms of Riichi if she feels threatened. Maybe seduction is the most successful route."

"Seduction it is," Kakashi grinned, leaning back to glance around at the other men. "Let's take a vote. Shika?"

"Kiba," Shika immediately answered.

Kakashi pointed at Lee, "Cast your vote."

Rock Lee glanced over at Kiba before giving a curt nod, "Kiba."

"Shino?" Kakashi goaded.

"Kiba." Shino remarked simply.

Kakashi didn't even try to fight back the impish smile on his face, "I'll take Kiba, for 500, Alex."

Kiba gawked, tossing his head between the men, "What?! Why me? You didn't even let me vote-"

"It's four against one, I don't think your vote counts," Shikamaru stated, pulling out his phone to snap a picture of the complex name before starting the car and revving off.

"You're all being assholes," Kiba grumbled. "Besides, she's a _prostitute_—how could I possibly seduce her? _Without_ her expecting money."

"She's still a woman," Shino rebuked, staring out the window. "Women like to be wooed. It'll be your job to make her feel like she's the only woman in the world so she'll open up about Riichi."

"I'm not one for wooing, one," Kiba held up a meaty finger. "Two, if _anyone_ can get a woman to open up, why not enlist Kakashi for this job? He seems to get even the most complicated women figured out, apparently."

Shikamaru scoffed, "I'm sorry, but as good of an idea as that is because—let's admit it—Kakashi is good at getting enemy women to talk; he's no good to us right now."

Kakashi started, still grinning, "One, I'm offended. Two, how I am no good to the team right now? Are we not kicking ass at narrowing Sota down?"

"That's not what I meant," Shikamaru cut, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at the notion that he had to explain himself. "Until you get a little action from Sakura, you're no good as far as tactics with any other woman goes. You're all wound up, we all know it—I'm just saying it."

"That's fair," Kakashi shrugged. Shika was right, his head wouldn't be in the game even in the slightest; which was off for Kakashi. His entire thought process had been ultimately consumed by Sakura—though he wasn't sure one romp would end that any time soon. Even with thoughts of her body on his mind, he equally thought over her safety. Who was going to help watch her when, what would happen when she goes back to work at the hospital. It was only a matter of time until Sota eventually caught on his men were being ticked off—what would his next plan of action be, then? Despite the sight of her gasping when he squeezed her played on repeat in his head; the other thoughts would never settle until Sota was taken care of for good.

"When's the last time you got laid?" Kiba blurted, leaning over to look at Kakashi. "You usually slept around once a week."

"Kiba, do you have a journal in which you aggressively jot down my sex life?" Kakashi jeered.

"No," Kiba scoffed arrogantly. "But we're all around each other enough to know what goes on with the other—you know that. You're just really weird and secretive about your sex life, is all."

"Me being private about what I do behind closed doors is not weird."

"Mh," Kiba grunted. "Imagine our shock when we hear all about it from women you've fucked hanging around the club, and _naturally_ they'd talk to Ino; the BIGGEST big mouth that has ever existed. She tells us, and then we all know. So, it's not a secret—not really."

"Okay," Kakashi sang. "Let me re-word it. I don't feel the need to boast because I have nothing to prove to anyone."

"We get it," Shika sighed, seemingly bored, "Your dick is big, next."

"So?" Kiba pressed. "When's the last time you've gotten any action? Have you and Sakura even done anything?"

"You're weirdly obsessed with my having sex," Kakashi observed with a suspicious squint of his eyes.

"No, I'm obsessed with the fact that our best ladies' man can't do his job because he's got balls so swollen and blue they're obscuring his vision."

"That'd be interesting..." Lee remarked with a chuckled, tugging the wraps to tighten around his hand.

"So?" Kiba was now exclaiming, hands braced on either front seat and leaning forward.

Kakashi deadpanned, "Let it go."

"I don't understand why you're so weird about it, we're all dudes here," Kiba scowled.

"Kiba, I don't know why you haven't gotten it, yet." Shika chuckled, shaking his head.

Kiba blanked, "What? Get what?"

"It's obvious he hasn't slept around since he met Sakura. I'll admit, you're still Kakashi but you're just...wound up. I've never seen you like this," Shika conceded, glancing over at a grinning Kakashi.

"FOUR MONTHS? That's like—ten years for you!" Kiba balked, eyes wide.

"Do you really think I'm going to sleep around when I'm trying to win someone over?" Kakashi inquired, arching one silver eyebrow.

"Well, no...I guess not, but...I just thought that you two had...you know, got down and dirty already."

Kakashi shook his head, "No sir, we have not. Sakura is like a guitar...you can't just grab her, strum her, and hope for the best. You've got to hold her, make sure she fits and she's comfortable in your arms. Then, you've got to tune her—and carefully, too. You don't want to make the strings too tight or too loose. Then, when everything comes together—when she's fine-tuned and warm in your hands—then, _then_ you strum and make beautiful music."

All of the men grimaced, except for Lee who was staring at Kakashi with wide-eyed admiration—as if the man was reciting poetry.

"Ugh," Kiba sneered. "Don't ever say some gushy shit like that in front of me again."

"Hmph. Reason why I'm the ladies' man, and you're not, Kiba," Kakashi smiled haughtily.

"Sure," Kiba growled, staring straight ahead, bracing himself when Shikamaru pulled into the club parking lot.

The men piled out of the car, walking in the back entrance of the club and making their way down to the safe house where Tsunade was waiting for their report. When Kakashi reached the safe house, he noted right away Tsunade standing over the table; squinting at pictures and scribbling on a sheet of paper. Her blonde head shot up when the men walked in; honey-brown eyes rolling, glancing back down at the picture in her and hand pointing her free hand at her desk. "Report," she commanded shortly.

"On it," Shikamaru drawled, pulling a sheet of paper off of her desk and ambling over to the couch. He set the sheet of paper down on the coffee table and began filling out the report with thin eyebrows drawn.

Kiba made his way to the fridge, pulling out a beer and popping the tab. He took a long sip, exhaling loudly when he pulled the can away, "Ah, Tsunade. We figured out how we can get Kami to talk about Riichi. What we need, however, is some funding to pay her off and-"

"Liar, don't listen to him," Lee interjected with a pointed finger. "We all decided that seduction would be a better route."

"Seduction is the best route," Tsunade mumbled, both hands now braced on the kitchen table. "Whose going to do the job?"

"Kiba," Kakashi answered from the wall behind her desk.

"I'm not seducing her," Kiba rebutted, taking another swig of his beer.

"Kiba, yes you are," Tsunade retorted dully. "Everyone here has done seduction jobs besides you. You did one, and failed to the point we had to throw Lee in to help you."

"Tch," Kiba scoffed. "I failed because she hated animals? I can't get jiggy with that shit!"

"It doesn't matter if her moral compass didn't align with yours," Tsunade bit, lifting her head to glare at him. "It's seduction, just go along with whatever-the-fuck they say—you're supposed to get them to like you and trust you; not the other way around. Shouldn't you be filling out a report?"

"Shika is filling out the report," Kiba sighed. "I don't see why we all have to."

"Stop being disagreeable," Tsunade sighed back. "Just fucking do it."

"Anyways," Kakashi kicked himself off of the wall, weaving his way around the couch and placing a foot on the stairs. "I'm going to go relieve Gaara. I'm sure Sakura is doing fine, but..." Kakashi peered off into the short distance. "I worry about that guy, sometimes. He's probably over it by now."

"Probably," Tsunade echoed. "Unless you're Naruto or Lee, he doesn't really care."

"Not as much, anyways," Lee added, leg hiked on the coffee table as he leaned over to stretch.

"What about your report?" Tsunade very nearly barked.

"I'll do it, I'll do it," Kakashi waved over his shoulder, halfway up the stairs and heading out when she shouted after him.

He was lying.  
He almost never did those fucking things.

Lucky for him, they got done with the job pretty early, so Kakashi felt almost giddy being able to go home to see Sakura. It's not that he didn't trust Gaara—if he didn't he would of never allowed the man to watch over her—but he knew the man's patience was incredibly thin with people he hardly knew. While he was genuinely kind under his asshole exterior, it was only with those he's formed a bond with. Otherwise, other people were typically a waste of his time and he never cared to get to know them, not really. He figured Sakura would be fine, even if the conversation became awkward or uncomfortable; Gaara was one of the best ninja's he knew. He was quick on his feet, strong, smart, and analytical. Nothing escaped the man's notice—and while no one could seem to get past his defense in a fight, it took Lee's Taijutsu to finally break past the man. Sakura was in safe hands.

More than anything, he wanted to hold her in his arms again just to press his mouth tight against her full lips. He wanted to have some time with her before the whole team arrived—maybe drink some tea and watch more dramas. He felt in some relationships, each person felt like they had to say something or do something all the time to impress the other. He didn't feel that way with Sakura. Lounging on the couch with her, sprawled out and staring at the TV with the random comment here or there—felt more than natural. There was no pressure, he didn't feel the need to force conversation with her; it just happened. He loved her pink head on his shoulder, or her petite feet in his lap with her head propped up on the pillow across from him. She looked right at home, right in his space; he'd be lying if he said it didn't bother him when she moves back into her apartment. Obviously, she's allowed back to her own space, he would never expect her to stay; but it didn't change the notion that he'd feel a little empty without her in his bubble. He'd become so accustomed to it in the short amount of time, considering he never allowed a woman to be ingrained into his day to day as Sakura was. Her presence was comforting, intimate, and natural.

She was becoming everything he had longed for.

Kakashi took the long way to the house, consistently making sure no one was following him. After an hour of careful driving—taking the long way home doubled the time to get there—he was more than elated to be pulling into the dense green of his driveway. When he walked into the house, the double glass sliding door to the balcony was open, and Gaara stood outside against the door; smoking and peering out into the distance. Kakashi paused in the living room, glancing around, "How's it going, Gaara my sandy dandy."

Gaara glanced at Kakashi from the corner of his eye, "Good. You're back early."

"The target we were following was pretty simple, we've got a potential lead on how to get her to talk."

"One step closer," Gaara commented uniformly, turning his attention back to the landscape in front of him. "You chose a good place to hide out. I almost got lost finding my way here."

"That's the idea," Kakashi nodded. "Where's Sakura?"

"The bedroom," he replied, taking a long drag of his cigarette and flicking the ash away.

"Is she okay?"

Another long drag, "I don't know, Kakashi. I'm not her keeper. She seemed fine; she was pretty distracted all day. She couldn't carry a full conversation to save her life," Gaara turned his head slightly, a small grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. "I see what you mean about her not being an easy egg to crack."

"You can say that again. She'll get you to crack before you even manage to get an inkling of anything personal out of her," Kakashi chuckled, turning to drift towards the bedroom.

Gaara snorted a low chuckle, leaning his head back against the door; saying nothing.

Making his way down the hall, Kakashi began to wonder why Sakura had shut herself in the bedroom. Had Gaara really been that boring? Pushy? She was tired this morning, so maybe she was just napping, though it was unlike her to hide herself away when someone was over. She typically felt so bad for everyone having to watch after her that, she felt obligated to stay out with them despite how tired she had been in the beginning. Maybe she did take his advice after all that no one will be offended if she goes to lay down. It was only when just five feet from the bedroom door that he heard it; it was faint, he knew Gaara couldn't hear it from where he was, but being this close Kakashi could.

It sounded like remnants of the same raspy moan he'd heard Sakura make before.  
He froze, carefully deliberating the situation.

Maybe she was sleeping, and she was just having a nightmare. He didn't want to assume the nastiest first, though he couldn't help that his first thought went there. He shook his head, clearing it and willing himself to think outside his dick. He reached a big hand out for the doorknob—freezing just two inches away from the silver bulb when he heard another one.

No one was in the room with her. Gaara was down in the living room.

She was _definitely _doing _something._

Without a second thought Kakashi turned deftly on his heels, advancing to Gaara who was now picking up the remote to turn the TV on. Kakashi laid a hand on Gaara's shoulder, smiling at him brightly, "Gaara, do me a favor and leave for an hour or so."

Gaara blinked, "Uh...I was planning on staying here for the party."

"Well, we need drinks for tonight anyways, so," Kakashi dug for his wallet, pulling out a wad of money and slapping it in Gaara's palm. "Grab as many drinks as this'll buy. Just, you know—take your time."

The confused glaze in Gaara's eyes cleared, his next blink knowing as his lips turned up in another slight smirk, "Sure, I think I have something I've got to do, anyways."

Kakashi winked, "Thanks."

Once Gaara was out of the front door, Kakashi whipped around and strode his way down the hall—pausing in front of the door. From behind it, there was complete silence and he started to worry. Did she hear him coming in? She had to of heard him talk to Gaara, he didn't make any attempts at lowering his voice. Five minutes passed of silence and Kakashi figured that whatever Sakura had been doing—and he had a pretty good idea—she must be done now. Assuming it was safe, Kakashi turned the knob and stepped into the bedroom.

It was 100%, without a single doubt..._not safe._

Perched on her knees on top of the bed was Sakura in nothing but a black bra covered in red lace roses and black panties with minimal lace. She was leaning back, left hand wrapped around her left ankle behind her. Her hair was up in a high bun with small pink waves curling themselves down at the sides and around her nape. Her head was tossed back, eyes squeezed shut and brows pulled down tight; focusing on her right hand that was down the front of her panties. From his angle, he could clearly see the dramatic curve of her behind; the way the muscles there flexed when she rocked her hips forward into her hand. The sight was more erotic than when he had run into her in the shower completely naked. She was sprawled across his bed touching herself, for Christ's sake. The room smelled like her, and it was enough to intoxicate him. Her heavy pant became a terrified gasp when she turned to see him walk in. Sakura yelped, falling back on the bed and scooting all the way to the head board to frantically kick the blanket up; wiggling under it rapidly and pulling the blanket over her head completely.

Kakashi felt his jaw clench.  
If his resolve wasn't already weakened, it was nearly shattering now.

By the look on her face, she had been close; he had rudely walked in and interrupted her. Under the blankets, he knew Sakura's face had to be a burning scarlet red, but her embarrassment was the last thing on his mind. Kakashi wasn't humiliated in the slightest; he wasn't weirded out, or even upset that she was doing it with Gaara just down in the living room. His mind became hyper focused on one thing and one thing only: seeing Sakura fall over the edge.  
He was going to be the one to push her, too.

Kakashi ambled his way to the foot of the bed, tugging the blanket that was fisted tight in her hands. When he tugged, she held on tight; refusing to give him even an inch. Kakashi tugged at the blanket lightly again, "Sakura, is there a reason you were straddled on my bed in just a bra and panties?"

"Just please leave me alone," Sakura lamented from under the blanket.

"I think that's the last thing you want me to do," he retorted obscurely.

"You know what, _fine_," she bit sharply. "I'll leave."

Abruptly Sakura shot up, tossing the blanket off of her body and swinging her legs over the side of the bed; marching her way off to the restroom. Kakashi turned, his body following Sakura as she walked past him and his hand reaching out for her wrist; gently pulling her back to his body with his arm crossed over her torso to encircle her, her back against his chest. The nearly naked curves of her body felt so good against his, her round ass pressed tight against his hips. He dipped his head, whispering in Sakura's ear, "If I didn't know any better, it's as though you wanted me to catch you."

"No," Sakura ground out through gritted teeth, flexing her hands. "Not my intention. You got me all worked up this morning, I didn't think you were going to be back until six, and I thought that I could be quick about it." She shifted her stance as she spoke, her curves rubbing across the front of his body that caused him to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from unhinging himself.

Kakashi grinned, "Nothing about what you were doing looked quick...Not that it's any of my business, but why are you clad in just underwear? Did you just decide 'fuck clothes' today?"

"It's _not_ any of your business," Sakura growled, trying to wiggle her way out of his hold. Kakashi could see her cheeks burning a deep red, and her skin felt just as hot as her face looked; still, he kept his arms around her, allowing her no room for escape.

"You are feisty this evening," Kakashi muttered against her shoulder, planting a soft kiss there and feeling Sakura stiffen in his arms. Even with as far as they've come, it wasn't a surprise to him that she still manages to shut him off. What was different is that he's learned how to get her to open up again, and it was tenderly. He ran his nose along her skin, inhaling deeply and kissing the top of her shoulder when he reached there. "I'm going to use my mighty fine deducing skills and say you were showering?"

Sakura snorted, "Mighty fine?"

"Mmmh, mmmhmm," he nodded slowly. "You smell like that lotion you rub on, and you only put it on after you shower. Your hair is up in a cute bun, you've got on...some clothes, anyways. You were getting ready for tonight and I guess you got...sidetracked?" He kissed the nape of her neck, rubbing his lips up and down the spine bone there.

"What's your end game, detective?" Sakura inquired, sucking in a breath full of air when he scraped his teeth over her left shoulder.

"No end game, Sakura," Kakashi replied peacefully. "I just happen to be incredibly nosey, tell me to fuck off whenever." He repeated the action on her right shoulder, this time taking her skin between his lips and tugging up to drag his teeth there. He felt Sakura flinch under him, shifting her stance again and warranting him a small shudder. Kakashi repeated this action from her shoulder to halfway up her neck, leaving circular red spots in his wake.

"Yes," Sakura finally sighed in defeat. "I was getting ready and I got sidetracked."

"So you don't want me to fuck off?" Kakashi chuckled lowly.

Sakura snorted, but said nothing; instead she tilted her head to the side more, granting Kakashi more access to her neck.

"What distracted you?" Kakashi sought, happily taking advantage of the extended expanse of skin and pressing his lips there.

"I already told you," she replied stubbornly.

"Mmm-mm, nope—you just said I got you worked up, but if I recall that was this morning and—in my defense- I was merely making sure you were feeling better," he retorted smoothly. "So it must have been something else that distracted you. I just want to know what it was, that's all."

"You _are_ nosey," she admonished. "And yes—that was this morning, but what got me sidetracked was exactly what happened this morning."

"So, that's it, then? You were just replaying this morning's events in your head?"

"Sort of, yeah," Sakura muttered, closing her eyes and leaning back into him some when he began to suck the soft skin on her neck. "I was...I was just thinking of what would have happened next..."

"Ah, I see," he commented after plucking his mouth from her neck. "What happened next?"

"You can't be serious," she mouthed, eyes opening to peer at Kakashi from the corner.

"Dead serious," he responded evenly, the hand that was across her body folding around the dip of her waist while the other lifted her right arm and held it outright; trailing small kisses down the length of her arm and back up to the side of her neck he'd been neglecting. Kakashi chose a spot directly in the middle of the side of her neck and began to nibble there; taking the skin and sucking hard.

"Stop teasing me," Sakura mumbled.

"I'll stop when you tell me what happened next," Kakashi acknowledged sternly. "Otherwise, I can stay here all night and tease you to death; don't tempt me."

"You just want to hear me talk dirty."

"Sue me," he smirked, pulling up her other arm and mimicking the same process; nipping over the fading red spots he had left just minutes ago, reveling in the fact that she looked damn good with his love marks on her alabaster skin. "Are you going to keep stalling, or should I just continue to torture you?"

Sakura huffed heavily, casting Kakashi a withering glance before closing her eyes. "Well, we kept kissing..."

"I'd hope so."

"...and my leg was around your waist..."

"I remember," he egged, taking her earlobe in his mouth and nibbling.

"Your hands were all over my body..."

Kakashi ran his nose between her shoulder blades, "Where were my hands at?" He raised his hands up, hovering over her and waiting.

"Um..." she paused, her breath hitching when he bit down on the nook between her neck and shoulder; being sure to drag his teeth across her skin slowly as his mouth closed. "Kakashi, I can't focus."

"Where were my hands?" he repeated darkly, ignoring the twitch in his cock when Sakura began to fidget in his arms.

"They were...um," she gulped, giving her head a small shake. "One arm was still wrapped around me..."

"Mmh," he grunted. "We need to do this right."

"What?"

Without responding to Sakura, Kakashi turned her around until she was facing him, and when he saw the lusty haze in her emerald depths his jaw clenched and he groaned inwardly. Sakura had very light make up on, in the same manner she wore the night he saw her at the club. Her lashes were long, curled, and darkened into a sexy wing; while her eyeliner fanned out at the corners of her eyes, elongating them and making her eyes stand out even more than they already did. The bra accented her perky breasts wonderfully; the supple flesh filling the cups and very nearly pouring over. Kakashi repeated what he had done this morning, and hiked her right leg over his hip. He curled his left arm around her to hold her close, tucking his head when Sakura raised her arms to loop behind his neck. He kissed her pink lips until he had to break away for air. "Where was my other hand?" He muttered, breathless, pulling her in close with his left arm.

"I-uh...I don't want to say..." she stammered, cheeks reddening and dipping her head. "You might think it's...weird...I don't know."

"I'll be the judge of that," he mumbled, kissing the hollow of her neck and up; causing her to tilt her lowered head back up. "Where was my other hand?"

"It was..." Sakura closed her eyes and blew out a breath of air. He wondered why after her bold actions this morning she was feeling so timid, but then again, he did catch her in a very personal moment; so he didn't doubt she still felt mortified. "Your hand was...in between my legs..."

_Oh._  
_Fuck._

Kakashi froze, his free hand flat against her taunt stomach, "Sounds like you skipped second base completely."

Sakura blushed, moving to try to detangle herself from him, "I knew you'd think it was weird."

Kakashi tightened his hold on her, pulling her leg tighter around his waist and pinning it there, "No, not weird. Hot. But I also feel like most people do everything else leading up to that...Tell me, where did this little day dream end?"

Sakura plucked a shoulder, "It didn't end with anything in particular..."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," she huffed. "That once I thought about your hand there, I just started...you know, touching myself."

"Let me get this straight," Kakashi began, kissing along her collarbone. "You didn't even imagine us having sex...you were getting off on the idea of my simply touching you there."

"Why must you spell it out," she growled. "Yes."

Kakashi nodded, "So, when you were touching yourself—you were imagining me touching you, and your little hand was supposed to be my hand."

"Yes." She remarked simply.

Though he kept his composure on the outside, internally the man wanted nothing more than to toss this woman on the bed and make her scream. The possessive man in him loved that she was imagining his hands on her body, parts of him pleasing her. It told him she felt as consumed by him as he was equally consumed by her. She was admitting her desire, and seeing those full lips shape to say it was a sight he'd burn into his mind forever.

"Did you finish?" He pressed, using his fingertips to trace small patterns on her stomach.

"Uh...I'm sorry?" She leveled her gaze with his. "When you walked in...?"

Kakashi nodded, a small grin tugging at his lips when her stomach would twitch under his touch.

"No..."

"Well, then that's something we'll have to fix," he began to lower his hand, still tracing figure eight patterns with all five of his fingertips. "Was it good? My imaginary touch, I mean—was it good?"

Sakura swallowed, her emerald eyes widening and her pupils dilating, "I...I mean, yeah...What- what are you doing?" Her small hand caught his wrist when his fingers danced just an inch above her panties and tried to tug it up; but he kept his hand firm in place, moving neither up her torso or down.

Kakashi flashed a smile at Sakura, "What do you think I'm doing, Usagi?"

"I thought that we couldn't...That we weren't..."

"Sex doesn't involve what I plan to do to you right now," he grinned wickedly. "I don't need to fuck you to have you coming all over me."

Sakura's cheeks deepened in color, but she lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes, "You sound so confident...I've also never met anyone who likes to talk dirty."

"That's because I am confident," he very nearly beamed. "As for the dirty talk, well...that's barely scratching the surface. Now, tell me—does this hurt?" The hand that was on Sakura's stomach ghosted over to where her healing stab wounds were, and began to draw a faint circle around them; applying slight pressure.

Sakura shook her head, "No, it doesn't hurt. It's just really sensitive."

"I'll be careful, but try not to writhe around so much," Kakashi placed his fingertips right above her panties again, flexing his fingers out wide when he'd move away and then coming to a point the closer he got to the lacy edge. "Now," he planted a quick kiss. "Let's see if there's anywhere else you're really sensitive..." His fingertips strummed the edge of her panties, lightly plucking at the fabric before he trailed back up several inches; moving a little lower each time his fingers came back down. He molded his mouth to hers, slipping his tongue past her lips and over hers.

The lower his fingers got to her pubic area, the more Sakura began to tremble in his arms; pulling herself in tighter to him and kissing him back with equal eagerness. Fingers travelled deftly over the leg wrapped around his waist, flexing over her kneecap, and tickling their way up her inner thigh; pausing just before the apex between her legs. His hand hovered in that one spot while his lips worked their way over her face, nipping down her neck, from one shoulder to the other before placing soft kisses down the valley of her breasts. Sakura's breath became slightly labored, her milky chest rising and falling with each breath she drew; serving to only tempt him more. Using the tip of his tongue, he traced the round curves of her left breast that was spilling out of the bra; warranting him a breathy gasp from Sakura. He repeated the action to the other side, nibbling on the swollen flesh and chuckling when Sakura arched back so far she nearly toppled out of his hold. Using his right arm to brace her, Kakashi hooked Sakura's other leg around his waist; holding her up and taking small steps backwards until his calves hit the bed. Carefully, he sank down; making sure to scoot back so Sakura could balance on him while his feet were still flat on the floor.

Kakashi ran his hands up her arms, spanning his fingers over her back, and drifting them down her sides. Being in this position, Sakura was sat tight in his lap with her legs spread out beside him and hooking at the knees behind him. She was straightened, her small hands holding his face as her kisses grew hungrier by the second. He smoothed his hands along her inner thighs, pinching the tender skin there so she'd spread them wider apart. Breaking the kiss, he raked his eyes over the image before him; Sakura's eyes were darkened with desire, her skin was flushed and hot, her hands were roving over his torso, and her thighs were straddling his lap widely. With her legs spread open for his viewing pleasure, his eyes settled on the target of his intended attention. The black laced panties didn't do much to cover her sex, and he could see the impression of her body through the panties; all he wanted to do was place his mouth there and taste her. More than that, he had the primal urge to hear her cry out; Sakura had really only been sighs, gasps, and quiet moans. A part of him felt that maybe she was holding back, and he made it his personal mission to get her as loud as possible. His left hand cupped itself over the globe of her ass in gruff squeezes while his right hand honed in on where the most heat was radiating off of her body. Kakashi placed the pad of two of his fingers lightly on her entrance, letting out a hiss between his teeth when he felt proof of desire soaked through her panties and even on the innermost part of her thighs. He applied light pressure, loving the way her breath hitched and held.

"You are literally drenched," he muttered huskily, removing his left hand from her behind up her back to unclasp her bra. "I want you to cover me in your juices—I want to drink you up, Sakura. I want to devour you, little bunny. You smell so good, you just have no idea how-" His sentence trailed off when Sakura shrugged off her bra; revealing twin perky breasts. The fingers that were pressed at her entrance began to trail their way up her cleft over the panties; pausing when he felt two very hard, what felt like small balls, stacked about an inch apart. Using the tip of his forefinger, he jerked the lower ball up; leaning back and observing the way Sakura's body jolted as she let out a small yelp before freezing completely.

Kakashi gasped, glancing up to look into green, shell-shocked eyes. "Sa-"

"Oh, _no," _she whispered.

"-ku-"

"Fuck," she hissed, trying to wiggle backwards away from him.

"-ra-" he finished, astonished. "You didn't tell me you had a _piercing,_ down _here_, no less." He ran two fingers up and down, applying more pressure with each swipe.

"I can't believe I forgot..." she muttered, using her palms to push herself away from Kakashi.

Kakashi tightened his hold on her with his left arm, still applying gradual pressure to her burning sex with his other hand. Sakura's brows were pulled in tight, her expression appeared as though she was ashamed and she vehemently tried to wriggle her way out of his hold. "No, ma'am," Kakashi hummed deep within his chest. "You're not running away from me."

Suddenly, Sakura shot straight up; her feet on either side of Kakashi, wobbling as she tried to gain her balance. Kakashi raised his hands, gripping her hips and stilling her wobbling form. She raised her arms as if to cover her chest, her entire face a deep, burning red. She tried to step back, but Kakashi kept her in place; instead pressing open-mouthed kisses up her left leg. "Where do you think you're going?" he growled against her skin, peering up into jade depths.

"It's humiliating..." she rasped.

Kakashi shook his head, kissing along the other thigh, "It's far from humiliating. I happen to find it very exotic."

She snorted and shook her head, uncertainty dancing in her gaze.

"You prefer action, I get it," he asserted, shifting to where he was now kneeling on his knees before her. "Let me prove it to you—just how much I love everything about your body."

"I don't think you unders-" Sakura's words were cut off with a soft wail when Kakashi's mouth closed over her cloth covered sex.

He ran his pliable muscle up from her weeping entrance to the very top ball of her piercing and back down again. Sakura let out a low groan from her throat, her knees buckling slightly and Kakashi had to grip onto her hips tighter to keep her from falling. The lace of her panties felt rough against his tongue, and he wanted nothing more than to feel the soft folds of her skin. Abruptly he pulled back, hooking his fingers in the panties and tugging them down in one swift motion; greeted by a patch of downy pink hair. "You know, I used to never care for the color pink until I met you," he grinned, grabbing her right ankle and propping her foot up on his right shoulder; exposing more of her to him. He folded his hands over the backs of her hips, thumbs pressing into the dips in the front to keep her stable. Kakashi could feel his mouth water, and whatever rationality he had seemed to be replaced by the pure primal need to taste this woman—to consume her in every which way possible. Dark, heavy-lidded eyes gazed up from where he was at Sakura, and she was looking down at him; biting down heavily on her lip. "I'm going to eat your sweet little pussy up, okay Usagi?"

Before Sakura could answer, Kakashi drug his tongue on the outside of her mound; delving deeper and deeper within her folds with each new drag. Sakura moaned loudly, the leg she was standing on beginning to shake under his ministration. Her hands moved to the top of his head, fisting in thick silver locks and tugging as she rolled her hips forward and arched her torso back. Her breathing above him came in quick succession, and when he latched onto her clit and sucked in rapid pulses; he watched Sakura's face crumple and her head toss back with another throaty cry. He brought up his hand, tracing her entrance in small tight circles. Her hips started to rock against his face, and he went back to exploring her pussy with his tongue; leaving so centimeter of skin untouched. The feel of her piercing on his tongue furthered his excitement, and he closed his lips over the lower ball and her clit; tugging the piercing up hard at the same time he sucked. Sakura let out a heavier cry, her honey leaking out of her body, down her thighs, down his hand, and spreading on Kakashi's face. This only fueled him; this paired with the hard way Sakura was thrusting her sex against his face and tongue drove him wild. He was being face-fucked by one of the most beautiful women in the world, and he was going to make sure she understood the full effect of his dedication.

The finger that was tracing her opening pushed in; and they both moaned out loud. Her body was hot, liquid heat; his engorged cock longing to be the finger that was pressed deep within her. Sakura thrust her hips down, dragging up his finger and her walls clenching when he thrust it back in. Her sex was so tight around his digit, the velvet walls contracting when he tugged on Sakura's clit with a subtle graze of his teeth. He removed his mouth from her dripping core, knocking her leg off of his shoulder, and putting a pert, rosy nipple in his mouth. Sakura moaned, hips still rocking against his finger and arching back with just his arm to keep her up. He tugged at the bud, sucking hungrily while he pulled his digit out of her canal to slowly thrust in a second one; her insides instantly sucking his fingers in. He crooked his fingers, thrusting them into her deep and slow while with each inward thrust tapping her g-spot in a rapid "come hither" motion. He turned his attention to the other breast, flicking her nipple with his hot tongue and loving the soft cries that were ripping themselves out of her chest. Using the pad of his thumb, he began to rub small circles over her clit; her hips eagerly following the motion with his rubs and thrusts.

He was going slow, thrusting his fingers into her hard and deep; applying more and more pressure with his thumb on her clit each time. He switched in between breasts, taking the swollen nipples in his mouth and tugging until she would shudder and cry. Despite how fast Sakura tried to rock her hips, he kept his pace; loving the way her insides fluttered around him with each movement, or how her pussy would clench if he sucked almost painfully at Sakura's nipple. Her nectar was running nonstop, all over her legs, his hand and arm, his face, and his bed—and he only wanted more of it. He wanted to drown in the ocean of Sakura's desire, knowing it was because of him. Her body was so responsive to his touch; twitching, jerking, and shuddering underneath him. Her cries were music to his ears, a tempo he wanted to rock her body to. Releasing her breast from his mouth, he sank down her body again; dragging his wet tongue along the way, stopping to swirl in her small belly button, and the distance between each hip. He ran his lips down to the pink hair between her legs, nosing it and inhaling her scent openly; kissing the top of her mound, "Your body is so fucking beautiful. You could crush my head in between your thighs and I'd die a happy man."

"Kakashi..." she breathed, her smoky voice hazed with need. "Say it again."

Kakashi buried his tongue into her wet petals, "Say what again?" He adjusted the angle of his fingers inside her, impelling her body deep and slow; adding an extra hard thrust up once his fingers were almost all the way in, and then pulling them out. He pushed in and pulled out in a wave like motion, and the way Sakura's moan became a low, heavy drag of a weighted cry told him she appreciated the gesture.

"Do you like that, Usagi?" He rumbled thickly, repeating the motion and smirking when she let out another deep moan.

"Yes," she hummed, her head lolling to the side. "Say it again...that you want to eat me up..." She was panting, eyes closed and chewing on her lip.

"Mmmhh," he plucked at her clit with his lips, rolling the swollen pearl between his lips and humming around it. He peered up at her with burning eyes, "I _will_ eat you up. I will devour you, consume every single inch of you. I will drown in you, breathe you in, and shatter you into a million pieces. I will dominate your body, I'll make my mark all over your skin; and within you, too. You'll never want anyone else's hands on you, besides mine. I will fuck you until kingdom come, I'll fill you up, and make you forget your own name. Do you hear me, little bunny? I will consume every single part of you—all you've got to do is just ask."

With that, he latched his mouth onto her clit and began to pulse his tongue there and suck; making each thrust of his fingers harder and harder in the same motion that was making her more and more wet.

Sakura wailed, her legs tremoring and her hips rocking wantonly. He gripped her writhing form with his arm as best as he could, moving with waves of her body and never letting up. Sakura's canal began to contract around his fingers, her nipples were swollen and standing, her head was tossed back, and she was practically screaming. Her body flexed and twitched at his onslaught, her breathing started to shudder, and her hold on his hair tightened as she tried to drag her pussy across his face. Her cries filled the room, along with everything else that was Sakura.

"Oh, _fuck_," Sakura whimpered, one of her hands coming up to grab a handful of her breast and tugging at the nipple. "I-I think..._fuck..." _Her sentence broke off, her pink brows drawn down so deep in concentration she looked as though she were in pain—but he knew otherwise. Kakashi thrust his fingers in once, twice, and on the third time he hammered his fingers on her g-spot again; feeling Sakura's body snap taunt and contract around him wildly. Her entire frame began to quake aggressively, crying loudly and jerking forward as her muscles contracted as she came—_hard. _Kakashi continued his efforts, flicking his tongue over her sensitive bud; causing her to leap up and keen again. Juices rushed out between his fingers, leaving a trail down his arm and a wet patch by his knees. Sakura moaned deeply, collapsing over him and trembling. Kakashi removed his fingers from inside her, loving the way her body tried to resist and take him back in when he did. Watching her come undone, the crumpled expression on her face and the way her body kinked was the most beautiful thing Kakashi had ever seen. It was a sight he wanted to become addicted to, day in and day out seeking out his next fix that was Sakura's pleasure erupting. Sakura raised her head weakly, her eyes hazy and appearing star struck. Locking his onyx eyes with her, he took special care in licking her honey off of his fingers in languid strokes; sucking on the tips and humming appreciatively. He rubbed his hand down her back, closing over the globes of her ass and pulling to tuck a finger along her cleft and loving her soft tremor.

"Are you okay?" he grinned haughtily, kissing her forehead. Sakura's face had that after-orgasm glow, and Kakashi decided right then and there that he'd make it his life's goal to always have her glowing.

"I'm great," she sighed, picking herself up some. "That was..."

"I know," Kakashi interjected with a lazy roll of his wrist. "Amazing, magical, fantastic, life-changing-"

"You're arrogant," she admonished with a roll of her eyes.

"Not arrogant, Sakura. Proud. I could get face-fucked by you all day."

"Oh," she blushed, nibbling on her lower lip. "I was doing that?"

"Hell yeah you were. You were shoving your sweet little cunt all over my face—pretty hard, too. I had to strain my head just to make sure I wasn't just head butting your clit," he chuckled, moving his other hand to cup over a breast and rolling her nipple between his fingertips.

Sakura twitched, "You talk so dirty."

"You like it," he rumbled, leaning in to mold his lips over hers.

"I do," she admitted softly, kissing him back. "I also want more..."

Kakashi's brow quirked, "I can give you more, Sakura." He began to inch his mouth down her neck, taking both breasts in his hands and squeezing them together; burying his face there briefly before dipping his head lower.

"No," Sakura whispered, picking his head pack up and planting her palms flat on his chest. "I don't mean that." She pressed her palms against him until he was laid all the way back and straddling his hips. She lowered herself, pressing a long, deep kiss on his lips before sitting back up. Small, nimble fingers deftly made their way to the button of his pants; rapidly undoing them and jerking down the zipper. Kakashi reached for her wrists in attempts to stop her, but her small hand was quicker; dipping into his jeans and unearthing his hard member.

"Oh my _god," _she enunciated with wide eyes. "Is this really..._yours?"_

Kakashi simpered, "I'd hope so. It seems to be attached to me." The last part of his sentence was cut off with a hiss when she gripped his member; stroking up and down slowly.

"So it is," she mused, pumping him in long strokes.

"Sakura, what are you doing..." he drawled, willing his eyes to stay open to regard her hungry expression.

"I can't wait any longer," she groaned, pulling herself forward so his member was pressed along the cleft of her sex. She rubbed her slick nether lips against him, her liquid desire coating his pulsing cock.

Kakashi shuddered, closing his eyes and jerking his head back against the pillow, "Ah, fuck...We should wait, just until your stitches are fully healed."

"They're fine," she panted, rocking her hips against him. "I've waited too long for this."

Kakashi gripped her hips, pulling them down on him so there was more pressure each time she drug her pussy across his thick shaft. He was painfully hard, he could feel his member pulsing and twitching; longing to be buried deep inside her. The feel of her piercing pulling up against his hot flesh added to the effect; and the sight was doing things to him already. Glancing down he could see her wet folds opened up over him, sliding up and down; smearing liquid all over him. Her torso rolled with the rock of her hips, her muscles flexing and releasing with each surge. Her bun had fallen some, pink locks falling down over her shoulder with the tips teasing her rosy nipples. Her breasts jiggled each time she moved, and without so much as a second thought he reached out and grabbed one. Sakura shook, closing her eyes and letting her head roll back. Her rocking became more aggressive, her torso leaning forward so that her clit drug against his heated cock. Her breathing became rapid shallow pants, and he could see a light sheen of sweat on her body.

"Are you going to come again, little bunny?" Kakashi groaned, peering up at her pleasured grimace. "You're going to get off on grinding your wet pussy on my big cock?"

"Yes," she moaned.

"Here," he growled. "Let me help you." He reached forward, pressing his thumb on her clit and rubbing hard circles on it.

Sakura cried louder, the rocking of her hips akin to hard thrusts as he watched her crumble to pieces again. She tremored over him, her hips jerking forward over his cock as her body convulsed. Her shoulders shuddered and she moaned long and hard; twitching when she began to come down.

Kakashi couldn't handle it.

His cock was unendingly hard, covered in her desire, and he wanted to feel her come all over his dick. He shot up, kissing her wildly while he flipped her over to where she was underneath him. He bit down on her lip, sucking it hard and tugging it back with his own throaty moan when Sakura's small hand gripped his member again. His mouth moved down to lavish on her sensitive nipples, feeling her hand come up to grab the back of his head. He rocked his shaft up and down her mound, loving how slick her flesh was and how easy it was to move through her petals. He pulled back from her breasts, grabbing his cock and using the thick head to tap against her clit and reveling in the way she jerked when he did it.

"Are you sure you want this right now?" He very nearly growled, spreading her legs wider.

"You said you'd fuck me until kingdom come," Sakura murmured, trembling beneath him.

"Oh," Kakashi nodded, smiling wolfishly at her. "I'll fuck you until kingdom come. I want to feel your hot tight pussy wrapped around my cock. I want you to feel every inch of me inside you—I want to wreck you in the most delightful way possible." He grabbed her left leg and set it over his shoulder, angling her right leg out and holding her ankle. The blunt head of his dick sat at her weeping opening, barely even pushing in and still having to stretch tight to accommodate just the head.

"Wait, wait-" Sakura leaned forward, jutting a hand in between them. Her expression was slightly concerned, and she worried her lip. "Just...You're huge..,I know it's stupid, and logically it's not correct but...I'm worried it won't fit."

Kakashi moved in to kiss her passionately, exploring the cavern of her mouth with his tongue before pulling back to suck hard on her neck. Sakura shook beneath him, breathing heavily and rubbing her hands over his back. Kakashi tucked a hand between them, dipping into her slightly and pulling out to bring his fingertip up to her face. "You see this? You are _soaking_ me, your body was made for mine." He traced her mouth with the same finger, pushing it past full lips and grunting when she sucked her own essence off of him. "I'll go slow," he purred. "You'll take every inch of me, won't you little bunny?"

Sakura hummed, nodding slowly and leaning back down on the bed. Kakashi aligned himself with her entrance, making sure to lock smoldering midnight eyes with deep, burning emerald ones. He tilted forward, slowly moving to press in when the pair instantly froze.

From outside the bedroom, there was a series of loud bangs; alerting Kakashi instantly. He pulled back, stepping off of the bed and tucking his throbbing cock in his pants. The banging became louder, and from the sounds of it someone was in the house. The lust that had clouded his mind evaporated immediately, all of his senses heightened and on edge. He whipped his head to Sakura, who propped herself up against the head board, "Stay here. Don't make a noise."

She nodded deftly; her green eyes struck with gripping fear.

Kakashi reached into the bedside drawer, pulling out the kunai there and hoisting it up.

Quietly, he opened the door and crept his way down the hall.


	19. Party

**Hey there, kitties! Thank you for the consistent and constant feedback: I LOVE it! Sorry it took so long to update! That being said, this is merely the calm before the storm. Additionally, be prepared fo (; in the chapters ahead. As always, the more reviews I get the less likely I'll have an existential crisis and end up 24 Taco Bell burritos deep under the cold spray of the shower. Happy reading, friends.**

Minutes passed while Sakura sat, anxiously waiting for Kakashi to come back. Just before she could even begin to feel really nervous or sick, Kakashi came back into the room, shutting the door behind him. Sakura gazed up at him expectantly.

Kakashi raised a hand and shook his head, "It's the team—they're here for the party."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh..._oh!_ Did they hear us?!" She moved to her knees, hand hovering over her mouth and her eyes wide.

"I don't think so," Kakashi sighed. "But-"

"Oh, good," Sakura interjected. "So if they ask anything we can just say you were just in here asking me something?"

"Well, one: that's a really bad lie," he snickered at Sakura's glare. "Two: even if we came up with something else, it's too late for that."

"What do you mean too late?"

"Here's the thing about Kiba..." Kakashi began, scratching the back of his head. "He's got the nose of a bloodhound—literally, he has a sense of smell that is almost inhuman. His whole family has it, there's really no medical explanation just some trait passed down, I guess. Kiba was the first to walk in the house, and the first to smell it, apparently."

"Er...smell what?" Sakura could feel her face getting hot. She knew the answer. She knew Kakashi knew she knew the answer; still, some naive part of her was hoping it could be anything else...

Kakashi pointed lazily between his chest and Sakura, "Us. You. Me. He smelled it, knew something was up, and so to get our attention started banging around the kitchen. He was trying to do us a favor so they rest of the team wouldn't catch on and we could get ourselves figured out, but...the rest of the team came in behind him pretty fast."

Sakura blanched, pink eyebrows shooting up, "So, you're telling me they know that we..."

Kakashi laughed weakly, "More or less. Look," he took a step forward, reaching out to grab Sakura's hands in his. "Don't be embarrassed by it. They're gonna try to tease you—it's nothing personal, we all tease each other and it just means your apart of the family. Just go with it, they'll get bored eventually and move on." Dark eyes made their way over her frame, and for a second Sakura totally forgot she was still in the buff. She tried to jerk her arms up to cover herself, but Kakashi kept his hold on her hands; grinning at her mischievously. "Usagi, just moments ago my face was buried deep in between your legs and you were face fucking me like no tomorrow—don't you think modesty is out the window?"

Sakura felt her skin jar at the notion and she tried to shake the lust out of her head, "Yeah, I suppose so...So, we really have to go out there and just joke along with the fact that they knew we fooled around?"

Kakashi tossed his head back and laughed, "Well, they're going to have a hay day with me. I never divulge anything about my sex life to the boys, and they caught us in the act of _something. _Just before I came in here, they were all over me asking what happened like cavemen seeing fire for the first time."

"What did you tell them?"

"I told them that you were getting ready for the party and I was merely having a snack," Kakashi winked, almost proudly.

"Oh, _god," _Sakura groaned, tossing her head back.

"You probably shouldn't talk like that right now," Kakashi rumbled deeply, moving in to mold his lips to hers. He pulled away, mouth hovering just over hers, "They'll _definitely_ think something is up...Furthermore, now that I've really heard what you sound like in bed, I don't think I'm capable of hearing anything else. You'll for sure turn me on again, then I'll have to kick our guests out and make sweet love to you all night long—do you want that, hmmm?"

Sakura's face went hot, "I wouldn't mind that..."

Kakashi kissed her again, grunting when his hand dipped below to graze over her piercing, "By the way...when did you get this?" He tugged up the lower ball only slightly, causing Sakura to gasp and squeeze her legs together; trapping Kakashi's hand there.

"I got it around the time Sasuke stopped having sex with me," Sakura stammered. "He always said I was boring and too rigid...Usually I'd just forget some of the awful things he said to me, but it got to me so I thought, what could be more fun and exciting than a piercing down there...But he never got to see it because we definitely never had sex at the end of it, so..." She trailed off, biting down on her lip when Kakashi continued to move his fingers through her core.

"That's a shame," Kakashi hummed, staring deeply into Sakura's eyes. "Though I'll admit: I'm glad I'm the first one to see it...touch it...kiss it...Not to mention, Sasuke has it all wrong. I happen to find that you are quite responsive and a lot of fun in bed. I mean, it just takes getting to know your body and strumming you the right way. For example, if I do this," Kakashi took Sakura by surprise by using the side of his fist to spread her legs apart, shove two fingers deep inside her, and curl his fingers rapidly against her g-spot while thrusting them in slow and deep. "I've learned that this is the perfect method in getting you up to that point, and then when you're there, I do this-" Just like he did before, at the end of every push of his hand, he'd do an extra thrust at the end hard and deep; causing Sakura to leap up at the action. "You'll come pretty easily."

Sakura's frame began to shake, and she leaned her head forward on Kakashi's shoulder, biting down on her lip and letting out the smallest moan when he did it again. She couldn't believe her body was reacting this way- she had never been so needy when another man touched her. She'd never shook the way she was shaking now; the man was a walking aphrodisiac. A part of her wanted to fight her body's response to him; she didn't want to seem too submissive or weak. The other part of her said to hell with it, and let him do whatever he wanted to her for the sake of reaching new heights she's never been before. The burning look in Kakashi's eyes told her he'd push her further than she's ever gone; it made her nervous and excited.

Kakashi placed his mouth right beside her ear, whispering, "You can't make too much noise, or they'll hear you. That's the last thing we want, right?"

"Mmm-hmmm," Sakura hummed, lips pressed in a tight line to keep herself from making any more noise. She hated that Kakashi was right about whatever he was doing with his hands—it felt _outstandingly good. _She didn't know being fingered could feel so good, considering she used to hate it because in the past it had always hurt and made her uncomfortable. For some reason, Kakashi knew every spot within her that made her knees weak—in just one instance. Her body was on a wavelength that the man could seemingly easily follow no matter the highs or lows. She peered through squinted eyes at him, regarding the same hungry look he had given her earlier. Those dark eyes seemed to undress her, another set of hands running themselves all over her. She'd never been so sexually shaken up by a man before—let alone be into the dirty talk. Sasuke's version of dirty talk was calling her a "slut" or "bitch" during sex; some women may like it, but she couldn't get jiggy with it. The random hook ups tried to, but most of the time they were drunk so it ended up being slurred words that she didn't care to hear. One of her other boyfriends had tried, but his voice was already pretty nasally so she shut that up pretty quick. However, when his lips parted and those words came out; Sakura had never been so turned on in her life. His wolfish voice husky with desire, the way his eyes shamelessly bore into hers, his hands on her body—it was nearly sensory overload.

"You know what I want?" Kakashi continued, kissing Sakura and thrusting his hands into her in the same wave-like motion he had done before. "I'd like to see you come—just one more time before I go out there."

Sakura shook her head, arms braced on his shoulders, "No, they're here. There are literally people in the next room. It'll take too long, anyways, and they'll get suspicious." Her mouth said one thing, but her body remained in place; calling her bluff. As much as she wanted to push away, she couldn't muster the strength to do so. It took everything in her to remain composed, to keep her lips sealed and not pounce on Kakashi like a horny spider monkey.

"Is that a challenge, little bunny?" Kakashi ground out, dipping his head down to close his mouth over her nipple and releasing it when Sakura made another audible moan again. "How about this, we've spent about five minutes talking. I told them I was going to come in here to just let you know they're here and calm you down. I figure, they won't question another five minutes. That means I've got five minutes to make you come and you've got five minutes to stay as quiet as possible."

"I'm not doing that, they'll come in here and-" Sakura's sentence was cut off by a raspy gasp as his ministrations became rapid. His mouth latched onto her breast while his hand went to work—and Sakura felt frenzied. She didn't know how he was doing it, but he at one point he hit a spot deep within her that had her head loll back and eyes roll heavily; all the while biting down on her lip as hard as she could.

Kakashi brought his mouth back to her ears, "You like it deep, don't you little bunny."

"Yes," she rasped, tightening her grip on him when he did it again. "Why are you doing this right now? This is inappropriate..." she panted out, adjusting her stance on her knees and thrusting her hips forward when he hit the same deep spot. Pressure was starting to build and she was afraid she was going to shatter into pieces.

"You see, little bunny," Kakashi started, curling his tongue over the shell of her ear. "The way you're rocking into me, I don't think you really care that this is inappropriate. I can feel your sweet little pussy clenching around me, and I know you're almost there by the way your face keeps falling like that. If you want to speed this up, tell me what I need to do to push you over the edge. Remember what I said, Usagi? All you have to do is ask..." He kissed her again, his free hand coming up to grab a handful of her behind.

Sakura couldn't focus for the life of her. Formulating a comprehensive sentence was out of the question, with the way he was making her feel right now. All she could seem to pay attention to was the bursts of pleasure she felt each time he pushed into her deeper. Although Sakura couldn't seem to believe it, she was getting close to the edge again. Whatever argument she had about guests and things being inappropriate—she now gave no fucks about. All she wanted was release by someone who was all too willing to give it to her.

"Suck on my clit like you did before...and...tell me to." Sakura almost gasped at her own words, not believing that she would say something like that. Sex had always been quiet and traditional, for the most part. She was never pushed to say such lewd things, but here she was saying them to the man that had her at his mercy.

Kakashi grinned wickedly, easily dropping down to his knees in front of her and peering up. "I could be in this position for the rest of my life, Usagi. I could sit here and eat your sweet pussy forever and ever," he ran his tongue along the top of her cleft, smirking against her skin when she shuddered intensely. "What do you want me to tell you?"

Sakura opened her eyes, glancing down at the expression of a starved man ready to devour her. "Tell me...I want you to talk dirty to me...to tell me to come." She looked away, feeling her already red cheeks blush at her own words, nervous at how he was going to respond. She was testing the waters of something she'd never done before, and she was worried she'd sound dumb doing it.

"My kind of woman," he smiled, moving down to take her swollen pearl between his lips and suck in pulses that matched they rhythm of his hand.

Immediately Sakura's entire body began to twitch and jolt under him, and she couldn't help the rocking of her hips that followed. She'd never known a man to bring her to the brink of this much intensity with just his mouth and his hand; she was mind blown. What turned her on even more was his random hums and grunts of satisfaction, or the low chuckle he'd give every now and then. Kakashi began to move faster, her head begun to spin, and she could feel her insides throbbing around him. Her vision became tunneled, and she could feel it coming.

Kakashi plucked his mouth away to look up at Sakura, "Come for me, little bunny. I want to feel your body shake—do it, come for me."

After two more thrusts and his mouth had found her clit again; Sakura came. Her entire body was jarred; legs trembling, muscles tightening, and toes curling. She bit down so hard on her lip to stifle her cry that she was sure she was going to leave a mark. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as her body spasmed around his hand aggressively, her hips making slow rocks forward as she came down. Kakashi removed his hand, stood back up, and kissed Sakura tenderly. "Just in time," he murmured, winking at her before kissing her again and walking off to the bathroom to wash his face and hands.

Sakura made her way off the bed, wobbling like a new born calf as she did. "How do you do that?" She muttered, reaching for her bra that was on the floor.

Kakashi shrugged, tossing a towel at her, "It's as though I know your body. Call it tacky, but if feels like years and years of practice have trained me up for you. Your body was made for mine, plain and simple."

"That is tacky," Sakura snorted, clasping her bra back on and digging in a drawer for new panties.

"Well, there's more where that came from," he grinned, hooking his arm around her to lean down and kiss her spine. "I'll let the girls know you're getting dressed—they're dying to talk to you apparently."

"Oh no," Sakura sighed. "Ino is going to be all over me."

Kakashi nodded, at the door with his hand on the doorknob, "Yep, be ready. She's not going to stop without a fight."

"What do I tell her?" Sakura pressed, standing up straight with a hand on her hip.

"Whatever you like," Kakashi remarked with a pluck of his shoulder, opening the door and calling out to wait ten minutes for Sakura to get dressed. She could hear their muted groans as the door shut behind him.

Sakura got it now.

For as long as she knew Kakashi, she always wondered how he remained so calm and collected. Nothing ever seemed to bother him, and even in high stress situations he was still level headed. She figured there must be something he was doing to help manage everything, and she got it now. The man became completely unhinged when it came to sex—this much she knew. She hasn't even done the actual deed with him yet, but his wild expression tells her that he's not holding back in the slightest. Everything, the stress, the buildup—he lets out in the bedroom. He became a man possessed, a man who knew what the fuck he was doing, and a man dedicated.

She'd never been so flattered in her life, than she was when Kakashi talked dirty to her.

Regardless of the fact that it was indeed dirty talk, there was so much sincerity that rung behind his words that had her shaking. She never thought the words "sweet little pussy" would turn her on and make her blush at the same time, but here she is; hornier than a pubescent teenager and brighter than a cherry tomato. The way his dark eyes burned into her startled her; they exuded pure passion, pure need, and pure desire. He looked like a hunter, out for the kill; and she was his prey, the target of his intentions. Sakura had never been able to get off just by oral, or fingering—or even both. She'd end up getting bored and just moving on to the actual sex part because she wasn't getting any stimulus. For the longest time, she genuinely thought maybe something was wrong with her—Sasuke was always telling her there was. It always served to make her feel insecure about herself, afraid she'd just bore the next person. But one moment with Kakashi and all of that thinking goes down the drain. Not only did she get off on just foreplay, but she did _three_ separate times in the same sitting—that's shit she'd find in her mom's romance novels, not in real life. At least, she thought so anyways. Sakura used to always give her mom shit about reading those tacky, smutty novels—telling her that they're just forged from imagination, and it set's people's expectations up to be let down. Each and every time, Sakura's mom would simply smile at her and remark, "It just takes the right man, honey," and then point to a picture of her father and wiggle her eyebrows. Still, Sakura thought it all to be really over exaggerated.

That was, before Kakashi had put his hands on her body.

Sakura was glad that Kakashi didn't let her run off due to embarrassment—and she was fucking _mortified. _Had he let her go, she would have never been able to experience this slice of life that included sex with Kakashi. Even though Sakura knew this interaction was merely the tip of the iceberg, she shuddered to think what having sex with him would be like...

They were so close to it, too.

They both got so caught up in the moment, that none stopped to think maybe sex wasn't the brightest idea considering her stitches were still healing. It hadn't even crossed her mind when she mounted him; and definitely didn't ring any alarm bells when Kakashi brought it up. He just took her at her short excuse and went with the ride; telling her that he wanted her as bad as she wanted him. Which, to be honest, he wouldn't have even had to of vocalized. The man was rock hard, standing tall and proud like a redwood tree. She'd seen pictures of dicks as big as his, but she'd never had the chance to look at it in person; and it shocked her. Most of the pictures she'd seen were long and skinny, long and average, or short and thick, average and skinny—the list goes on. Kakashi, was long and _thick._ Being a nurse, she understood that the female body can adjust and adapt— for child birth—but even still, looking at it she could feel herself swallow the huge lump in her throat. She'd never been with a man so big, and she was afraid it was going to hurt or just not fit at all.

Again, logic told her she's being ridiculous.

Her pussy told her to jump on it and abandon ship at the same time.

Not to mention, they had been so caught up that no one thought to use a condom. Granted, she was on long term birth control and she had seen Kakashi's charts when he came in for stitches—the man got tested regularly and was clean, never had an STD in his life—regardless, it was something that they should have still discussed, and she told herself next time around she'd be sure to bring it up. Because, who knew? Maybe Kakashi was uncomfortable going without a condom, and she couldn't blame him. Though, when she grabbed him and felt his hot, velvet flesh in her hands; she'd prefer he didn't use a condom. Kakashi was right in that, she did want to feel every inch of him. She wanted to be fucked until kingdom come, and she wanted it to be him no less.

"What am I thinking?" She muttered, tugging up a red pair of panties.

One sexual encounter with the man, and she's apparently already a fiend.

Just as Sakura was going to pull on a regular pair of jeans, a brutish knock sounded from the door, making Sakura jump, "Hello?"

"Are you decent?" It was Ino.

"No, I'm in my underwea-"

"Okay," Ino sang. "We're coming in!"

The door opened, and seemingly a whole group of women came piling in—Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and Temari. Temari quickly snapped the door shut behind her, cutting off what sounded like Kiba yelling at them to hurry up.

"Whew!" Ino exclaimed, waving her hand in front of her wrinkled nose. "Dear penthouse forum...Open up a window in here Sakura it smells like Fifty Shades of Grey."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Really? You just walk in and that's the first thing you say? Not caring that I'm in my underwear?"

Ino scoffed, "Tch. Nothing I haven't seen already."

"Whatever," Sakura grumbled, waving awkwardly at Tenten and Temari. "Hey."

"Hi," Tenten grinned, wiggling her fingers sweetly.

"Damn," Temari remarked impressively. "You have got a nice body, Sakura. No wonder Boy Wonder couldn't keep his hands off of you."

Sakura's cheeks tinged, "I have no idea what you're talking about. We were just..."

Sakura stopped when every single one of the women deadpanned, expressions incurious.

"Okay," Sakura sighed defeatedly. "We fooled around a little; but it was nothing serious, it was just-"

"Hmph," Temari hummed, crossing her arms skeptically over her chest. "Looks pretty serious to me."

Sakura's brow twitched, "What do you mean?"

Tenten giggled, "You haven't looked at yourself?"

Sakura shook her head slowly.

"Well, you need to," Ino commented, standing up to guide Sakura to the restroom. "There's no way you can go out there in front of the guys looking like that. I mean, you can—but they won't let you live it down. They will tease you from sunrise to sunset and—not that I doubt your shit talking abilities because quite frankly you're an ass and we love you—but I figure you're probably pretty embarrassed that we ran in on you two anyways."

"Fuck me," Sakura huffed, shaking her head. "Please tell me you didn't hear anything..."

"Mmmmhh- I'll leave the fucking to Kakashi. And while _I _didn't hear anything, I think Gaara did," Ino snickered. "I mean, he walked into the house before us and then he just flew out. I'd never seen him walk so fast or look so uncomfortably annoyed. Kiba came in after him and I guess Kiba caught on and tried to be the good guy—but alas, we all came in as fast as possible to see what was going on."

Sakura waned, green eyes aghast, "_Gaara heard us?" _

"Correction, Gaara heard YOU," Temari chuckled, pointing a long finger at Sakura. "But don't worry, he's pretty to himself so I doubt he'll say anything. It's Kiba you should worry about. That guy has been obsessed with Kakashi's sex life purely because he thinks it's weird Kakashi doesn't really talk about it. So, this is enough ammunition to last the man years and years to come."

"Great," Sakura growled under her breath.

Gaara.

That was the last person she wanted to be apart of any of this embarrassing shit. In the short time she got to spend with him, she came to the conclusion that he was really a quiet man—even more silent than Shino or Neji. Though Gaara did ask Sakura some questions here and there—how did you and Kakashi meet, how long are you in Tokyo for, and "I'm guessing one of these dogs is yours, too?" He then tried to pry only slightly about Sakura's personal life, of which she happily flipped the switch and asked him questions about himself; of which he just grinned and looked away. He wasn't mean to her in the slightest, though the encounter was pretty awkward and silent. He sat for the most part, peering out of the balcony and seemingly lost in thought. When she took a good look at him, she decided that he was honestly very handsome and wondered if a silent man like him had a woman he went home to or not. At one point, Sakura felt bold and even asked him about the tattoo on his forehead. He merely shook his head, telling her, "I don't know you well enough, Sakura. You may be friends with the rest of the team, but you and I haven't established a friendship yet. But," his jade eyes had peered at her from the corner, his mouth pulled up in a small grin, "no pressure. Things take time, so don't feel the need to force anything. I'm sure we'll be in each other's presence more often now that you're Kakashi's."

At first, Sakura didn't know whether or not she liked that end remark; it made her feel like she was property, and not a person. Then again, she felt like there was something about this man that felt like she couldn't push boundaries with like she could Kiba. Not that she thought he would hurt her, but that he simply wasn't giving her the right. He was totally opposite of the team, but she understood how he managed to fit into the mold.

"Take a look at yourself, princess," Ino smiled wolfishly, blue eyes raking Sakura's form in the mirror.

Sakura's mouth dropped and her eyes bulged.

From the top of her neck, all the way down to over her breasts; Sakura was covered in forming hickies and bite marks. She hadn't even realized that Kakashi had been biting her hard enough to warrant a mark—she just thought that it felt insanely amazing and she didn't want him to stop. The spots were all just over the size of a quarter for the most part, except for a spot right in the middle of the right side on her neck. While the others were noticeable, but still forming; this one seemed to be full-fledged. Sakura brought a hand up to her neck and began to rub at the spots, hoping in vain that they'd disappear. Each and every woman in the room shook their head disapprovingly.

"You know that's not going to work," Ino enunciated, hands on her hips.

If the endless amount of hickies wasn't enough, her make up somehow managed to smear and her hair became completely disheveled. The bun hung in sad, floppy droop to the side; with pink wisps of hair surrounding it and falling around her face. Grunting, Sakura went to wipe away mascara that had smeared below her eye.

"I can't believe this," she muttered, poking the hickies with her finger.

"Believe it," Tenten smirked. "You got fucked pretty hard I'd say."

"We didn't have sex," Sakura grumbled, glaring at Tenten's sweet smile.

"Sure you didn't," Temari teased, elbowing Sakura lightly.

"We _didn't," _Sakura nearly shouted, slamming her fists on the bathroom counter.

"Then what did you do?" Hinata piped up.

"We...wait..." Sakura paused, glancing between eager sets of eyes. She gasped, scowling deeply at them, "You're all trying to set me up!"

Tenten and Temari broke out into laughter, while Hinata blushed with a small smile on her face; Ino tossed her head back and lamented loudly, "Come on, Sakura. We just want to know what happened that made you look like _that." _

"You are all unbelievable," Sakura fumed, walking around them to pick up her pants.

"You can't not tell us what happened," Ino egged, exasperated. "It's not fair to us!"

"Huh!" Sakura huffed. "It's none of your business!"

Temari rolled her eyes heavily, "Would you stop the tough girl act and just fuckin give us all the juicy details?"

"It's no _act," _Sakura bit.

"You were literally just about to tell us," Ino declared loudly. "You didn't have a problem with it just seconds ago!"

"Yeah, that was until I found out you were all trying to manipulate it out of me!"

"Don't be such a boob," Ino sighed.

"I'm not the boob, you're the boob," Sakura pointed around the room. "You're all boobs."

Tenten chuckled, "At least we aren't your boobs. Poor things look like they took a beating."

"Yeah, did Kakashi use his tongue to beat your tits up, Sakura?" Ino giggled, wiggling blond eyebrows and nudging Sakura with her foot.

Sakura glanced down at her breasts, heaving a huge sigh when she saw all the forming hickies there. She glanced back up at all the women, each and every one smiling at her and basically licking their chops like hungry wolves. Somehow, a very small part of her wanted to gal out with them—she wanted to titter over her experience. The stuck up, old Sakura would have said fuck off and have a good day; but wasn't her resolution to be fun loving? And this is what girls do, right? They giggle over each other's stories. Sakura wanted that. She wanted to be in on the jokes and the laughing.

"Alright," Sakura exhaled. "I'm being a boob. I'm sorry."

"That's alright," Temari grinned, leaning in to hook her arm around Sakura's neck and pull her in for a side hug. "You're not used to all this, I get it. I wasn't really used to it either. And, to be frank: you don't really have to tell us shit, and you know that. We may be teasing you, but you can tell us to fuck off and we will. We might complain, but we will."

"I won't," Ino muttered, digging in a bag she brought and pulling out scraps of clothing.

"We never want you to feel uncomfortable," Hinata added, smiling tenderly at Sakura.

"Yeah, we just want you to feel right at home," Tenten commented, leaning in to land a small peck to Sakura's cheek; surprising her.

"Yeah, yeah," Ino waved dismissively, pulling out more clothes from the bag. "We love you and shit. Now, are you going to tell us what happened, or are you seriously upset with it and would rather not?"

Sakura smiled tightly, fighting back the sudden onslaught of emotion she was feeling. She'd never been accepted into a group of friends as tight knit as these women were; she had always been too busy for stuff like that. All of her life, all she had wanted was your typical group of friends that you called family. She wanted people she could lean on, laugh with, and tease. Not only were these women letting her in with open arms, they were showing her that it's with tender respect, too. It made Sakura's heart swell, and while she wanted to pull them all in a big hug—she was just still in her underwear.

"Thank you for saying that," Sakura remarked happily. "I really appreciate all of you being so welcoming, especially since I've been such a burden."

"Ugh!" Ino sighed loudly. "You're not a burden, we're here for you, we'll never let anything bad happen to you, we love you and Kakashi loves you- now stop changing the subject and tell us what happened!"

"That's the second time you've said something like that," Sakura asserted, eyes squinted. "Did he tell you something?"

"What?" Ino's brows flicked down in confusion. "No? He hasn't said anything, I'm just making a thesis based off of my observations. Now, here-" Ino held out two sets of clothes, one set in each hand. "I bought you an outfit to wear tonight since you don't really have any party outfits. I couldn't decide which one would look better, so I got them both."

"You didn't have to do that, I-"

"Meh," Ino waved her hand at Sakura. "Save it. Just try them on so we can see which one looks best. But, talk while you change—we want to hear everything." Ino hunched her shoulders, placing her fingers in the shape of a triangle, and cackling under her breath. "This is as close to out of the horse's mouth I'll get."

"Ino," Sakura began, tugging one of the shirts over her head. "Do you mind me asking why you're so interested in everyone else's sex life?"

"Because she's a bonafied pervert," Temari grinned.

"She's nosey," Hinata piqued, hand in the air.

"She-" Tenten started.

"Okay, O K A Y!" Ino yelled, hands up in defense. "I get it, geeze..." Ino sighed, "Unfortunately, they're right. I am a pervert, and I happen to pride myself on knowing everything about everyone's sex life."

"Why?" Sakura pressed, stepping into red pants that were almost too tight for her.

Ino shrugged carelessly, "I always have been. I've always been really sexual, so I guess it came with the territory. I also like knowing people's sex lives because it helps me understand them better, if that makes sense. A person's kink shows a lot about their personality- and I happen to know everyone's kinks."

Sakura deadpanned, "That's reaching, isn't it?"

"Nope," Ino retorted cheerily, putting emphasis on the "pe" sound at the end of the word; flicking her long ponytail to the side. "I do, about every single person."

"Go off," Tenten egged from behind Ino. "I've got to hear this."

"Okay, fine." Ino smiled impishly, wiggling in her spot and holding up a finger in preparation to tick off. "I know that Shikamaru is into shibari and bondage—as is Temari." She glanced over at Temari and winked. "Kiba is rrreeeaaalllyyy into hooking up and fooling around in places you shouldn't. Oh, and he's really into role play, believe it or not. Rock Lee is a romantic through and through, so he's more of the make sweet love to you all night long. Though, I did hear that he's pretty fast and aggressive when you need him to be. Choji is, obviously, into food play. Neji is really into impact play—spanking and whatnot. Tenten here has so many sex toys she should just dedicate a fucking room to it already."

Sakura glanced over at Tenten, who merely smiled and wiggled her fingers again.

Ino continued, "Hmmm, let me think...Oh! Hinata over here is a dominatrix."

Sakura gasped, turning her head to a blushing Hinata, "Is that true?!"

"Um...well, I mean..." Hinata giggled, brushing raven hair over her ear. "I guess so, yeah."

"Oh, there's no guessing, sweetie," Ino shook her head rapidly. "I once went to drop something off at their apartment, and Miss Hinata here was clad in leather, high as shit boots, and pressing the heel down on Naruto's throat—and he was smiling like some madman!"

"You should have really called to let us know you were on your way..." Hinata teased softly.

Ino rolled her eyes, "I will from now on, you can guarantee that. So, am I missing anyone? Oh, Shino is into dom stuff, but like not like Hinata. He likes to be called daddy, and he's got rules and everything."

Sakura jutted her head forward, shocked, "Shino? Really?"

"Mmmhhmm," Ino nodded matter-of-factly. "He gets pussy all the time because a lot of chicks are into that. Let's see...Ah, Gaara is into rough sex."

"Really?" Temari pressed, head cocked to the side. "How'd you find that out?"

"Ibiki," Ino answered with a grin.

"Oh," Temari sung, giving her head a slow nod.

"Ibiki?" Sakura pressed, finishing the final button to the top. "The girl with the space buns we partied with? She knows Gaara?"

"That's a long story," Ino claimed. "Now- oh, no honey. Take that outfit off. It looked good on the rack; it makes you look like a washed-up accountant in your late forties."

"Thanks," Sakura grunted, immediately going to peel off the clothes she managed to wriggle herself in. "They're too fuckin tight anyways, were you trying to squeeze me to death?"

"Anyways," Ino hummed, eyes roving around the room. "That's everyone I can think of at the moment...And well, me; I'm just a freak. I like to hook up, I don't want to settle, and I'll do almost anything."

"Well, almost everyone," Temari articulated, mindlessly fluffing her blond hair. "You still don't know Kakashi's kink. No one does. Maybe except...Sakura...?" Forest green eyes flicked to meet Sakura's, dancing with suggestion.

"Actually," Ino chirped, holding a finger up in the air proudly. "I do happen to know what Kakashi's kink is."

Sakura stopped, half way out of the pants, "I'm sorry- what?"

"Don't get your panties in a wad," Ino snickered. "I heard it from Kiba who heard it from Kakashi."

"What did he say?" Sakura pressed too eagerly, hobbling out of the pants and tossing them to the side of the room.

Ino grabbed the other set of clothes and held them out to Sakura, "Someone's pushy."

Sakura glowered, "Not pushy, just curious." She swiped the clothes from Ino's hands and started to roll them on.

"Wwweeelll," Ino sang, obviously loving the intense attention she was getting. "I only found out sort of recently? It was maybe a month or so ago. Kiba and Kakashi stopped after a job to get food; well, if anyone knows Kiba, food means beer. So, Kakashi starts drinking with him and before they know it they're both pretty drunk. Somehow the topic of sex got brought up, I think Kiba was telling Kakashi a story about a chick he hooked up with and was telling him about how his 'thing' is sex in places you shouldn't be having sex. So that happens, and then—usually, we can't get shit out of Kakashi—but somehow Kiba managed to get Kakashi to say what his 'thing' is. Rather, his main 'thing'? Apparently Kakashi told Kiba he had several 'things.'"

"So?" Sakura egged, her voice muffled as she pulled the shirt over her head.

"Yeah, get to the point already," Temari goaded, landing a small slap on Ino's shoulder.

"Every single one of you are incredibly boring," Ino sneered, shaking her head before going back to her chipper tone. "So, he tells Kiba that his 'thing' is getting chicks off." Ino was leaned in, grinning ear to ear, and waiting for a response from the suddenly quiet room.

"Er...I'm lost," Tenten spoke up, her face quirked in a confused expression. "Isn't that every guy's 'thing'?"

"I mean, not really. At the end of the day, for most men sex is just sex and they want to bust a nut. Kiba was telling me that Kakashi told him that he gets a rise out of making a women orgasm- it's like a rush for him or something," Ino glanced around the perplexed expressions in the room and huffed. "It's like Shika, for example. When he's got Temari all tied up, he's hot and ready to trot. He gets a thrill out of seeing her all tied up. The same thing when Hinata gets a thrill out of making Naruto her bitch. Or the way Tenten drools over some dildo company's newest model. He told Kiba that his entire objective when it comes to sex is to be the reason that a woman gets off over and over. He lives for it, apparently. He's really proud and possessive, and from what the women who have chatted to me about him have said—it makes sense."

"It does make sense..." Sakura mumbled, pulling up the tight black mini-skirt.

"Wow, you're pretty lucky," Temari teased. "I love Shika to death, but sometimes he just leaves me in the dust."

"Now, now now," Ino waggled her finger. "We can't make assumptions just yet. That's just talk from Kakashi to Kiba, from Kiba to me. I mean, that could be his kink—doesn't mean he's good at it."

"He's good at it," Sakura blushed, pretending to be really focused on the small leather strings on the sides of the skirt. "Weirdly good..."

Ino clapped her hands together, "HA! I knew it, I knew there was no way all those women were just talking them up!" She squealed, clapping her hands and bouncing. "Now you have to tell us what happened!"

"Fine," Sakura answered begrudgingly.

From beginning to end, Sakura divulged to the girls what had happened. She didn't go into great detail, to save herself the embarrassment, but she did give them more information that she initially wanted to. From each word to the next, their mouths dropped lower and lower; each woman wearing an expression of astonishment.

"- and then he did it one more time, when he came back into the room...He was just doing it, and then...Told me to come and...I did..." Sakura trailed off, waiting for the others to respond. A part of her worried that maybe she said too much, by the way everyone was staring at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"You came _three times _in less than an hour?" Temari gaped, eyes holding disbelief. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Shika and I have some amazing sex but it takes time to warm back up again."

"I know," Sakura shrugged, tugging at the hem of her shirt. "I was literally thinking that there's no way it could happen a third time- let alone at all. I'd never gotten off that way before, so it was all very...new to me..."

"You said he was like an animal?" Ino mimicked Temari's expression, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"I mean, he was definitely not the collected Kakashi that everyone sees. It was an entirely different side to him I never even knew existed," Sakura shook her head. "I think sex is like, his reliever or something."

Ino plopped down on the bed, leaning back on her hands, "Sakura, that is so _hot! _Plus, I never pegged him as someone who'd talk dirty..."

"He definitely talks dirty..." Sakura mused, feeling her face go hot hearing Kakashi's words echo in her head.

"What was he saying to you?" Ino inquired with a sly shake of her shoulders.

"NOPE," Sakura barked. "I'm not telling any of you that, at all- whatsoever."

"Awe, come on," Ino jutted out her lower lip in a pout. "Just one thing he said, that's all I'm asking for."

Sakura fiddled her thumbs, "Okay, but do all of you promise me none of you will repeat any of what was said today?"

"Promise," Tenten, Temari, and Hinata replied in unison.

Ino grinned, "I make no promises."

"Whatever," Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes. "I won't tell you anything he told me, but I can say that he kept calling me...little bunny...?"

Ino's jaw dropped into a shocked smile, "Oh, that is _very _hot, Sakura. He's being so dirty, but he's calling you something so sweet." She winked, "Interesting. He's never been one for pet names. He never called Yua by a pet name, he always just said her name."

"Really?" Sakura piqued. "Never?"

"Never," Hinata nodded. "We even tried to give him crap about it, he just didn't seem to want to. Thinking back on it now, we all knew he didn't love her. We've heard him call you Usagi, and that kind of surprised us. And now he's calling you that during sex?" She giggled, running her hands down her skirt.

"He's got it bad for you," Tenten finished for Hinata.

"Sure enough," Ino nodded, clapping her hands on her thighs and standing up. "He's got it bad for you, he's calling you sexy little pet names, _and _his kink happens to be getting a rush out of making you come over and over? Do us all a favor, and don't walk away from him."

"I wasn't planning on it," Sakura mumbled, brow quirking down.

"Good," Ino grinned, plucking a string off of the shirt. "Because to be honest, if you and Kakashi don't work out he's going to be out of the game for good. The last thing we want is to see our dear Kakashi heartbroken—seriously broken up, this time."

"Are you threatening me?" Sakura questioned with a slight grimace.

"No, Sakura-bukura. We all know that you two will work out, it's in the stars or some shit. But we know that you can sort of shut down and push him out—we get it, trust us, we do...Maybe, just next time around you feel like shutting him down really think about it. He's the last person on this earth that will ever hurt you." Ino smiled and pat Sakura's shoulders, stepping back to look over the outfit on Sakura. "Now _this _is much better. You look so good in it! Okay, go ahead and fix your hair and make up. We've got plenty of drinks, Choji is making some bomb food, Naruto brought his gaming counsel so we can all play, Kiba brought the weed, and-"

"Wait," Sakura blinked. "You all smoke _weed_?"

Temari chuckled, "You should like a middle schooler. We do, but only at our parties. It just helps us relax."

"Isn't it like...super illegal in Tokyo?"

"Well, _yeah," _Temari shrugged. "But Kiba's got a friend who gets it from Canada—don't ask me how he does it, I just know that he manages to get it here. It's good, too. Doesn't make you feel all dumb, you just relax. You've smoke before, right? I mean, they have weed all over America don't they?"

"I mean, they do...but I've never really smoked it. I tried it once in college, but it was one hit and it burned my throat so I stopped."

"Ah," Temari nodded knowingly. "Well, it's up to you. You definitely don't have to smoke if you don't want to. Gaara doesn't smoke it."

"Alright, we'll see you out there!" Ino huffed impatiently, dragging the other women out and shutting the door behind them.

Sakura stood there, feeling a little stupid. Just because they were in Tokyo doesn't mean that there wouldn't be weed at a party, no less. It didn't bother her, she wasn't some goody two shoes off to tell the press, but she was still sort of shocked. A group of supposed bad ass ninjas—and they smoke? She guessed it made sense, if you really wanted to relax she heard that weed can help with that as long as it was the right strain. Maybe she would smoke...

Quickly Sakura made her way to the bathroom, rolling her eyes when she caught her reflection in the mirror. She should have known by now that the outfit Ino picked out for her was going to be far from modest. The top was a cute navy crop-top, revealing her mid drift, with ribbons on the sides that cinched in at the waist. The skirt was a black mini skirt with criss cross leather ties on the side, with small peeks of her skin being revealed through the criss cross. With how revealing the outfit was, all of the hickies and marks were at display for everyone to see; the last thing Sakura wanted was to step out and flaunt her proof of fooling around to everyone.

After reapplying her make up and fixing her hair, Sakura moved to the dresser to find a different set of clothes. Just as she was about to pluck out a shirt, Ino came charging in.

"What is taking you so lllooonnngg? It's not a party until everyone is there! You look good, come on!"

"Ino," Sakura began. "I feel so uncomfortable in this outfit..."

Ino rolled her eyes, "Get over it, bitch. You look good, no one's going to say anything."

Sakura's brows lifted, "Oh, really? No one's going to say anything about these?" She gestured to the forming marks all over her neck and chest.

"Psh, no? We're all adults here, Sakura. You'll be fine, just get your ass out here and have a good time with us!" Ino grabbed Sakura's hand and began to tug her towards the door and down the hall.

"Fine, but why do I have to wear this? Aren't I done up just a bit too much?" She plucked at the shirt and skirt, stumbling after Ino.

"I mean, for the party—yes, you're way over done. But, I bet it would make Kakashi sweat."

Sakura glared, whispering as they were nearly almost out of the hall, "Did you really get me to wear this just to tease him?"

Ino turned her head, her eyes slanted mischievously and grinning wickedly, "Consider me your fairy godmother of getting dick. Now, come _on!"_

With one final tug, Ino managed to pull Sakura out of the hall and into the kitchen where she had a full view of what everyone was doing. Choji and Shikamaru were at the kitchen counter; Choji was busy shaking up what looked like veggies and meat in the skillet while Shikamaru chopped up basil. At the kitchen table sat Gaara, Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee playing a game of cards. Each had a beer in front of them, and they were talking shit to each other as Gaara slammed down a card excitedly—showing more emotion than she had seen when he was over. In the living room Kiba was sat up straight on the couch, controller in hand and yelling at Naruto about shitty sportsmanship. Naruto sat on the floor, feet crossed and eyes narrowed in focus on the TV. Shino, Hinata, and Kakashi were sitting on the couch—all with beers in their hands. Music was playing in the background, though it could barely be heard over everyone's chatter and the video game.

Shikamaru was the first to notice Sakura, nodding at her and giving her a wave as he tossed the chopped-up herb into the skillet over Choji's shoulder. "There's beer in the fridge if you want some," he smiled, pointing at the fridge. "If you don't like beer, we've got wine and sake, too. There's plenty, so you know—help yourself even though this is kind of your house."

"Sakura!" Choji bellowed happily, turning his head to smile widely at her. "We're cookin up something good! It's Yakiniku, somewhat of a special in my family. Here, have a taste!" Choji plucked up a fork, stabbing a piece of meat that was in the skillet and handing it off to Sakura.

Sakura blew on the steaming meat gingerly before popping it in her mouth; closing her eyes and munching happily on the tender meat. "Wow- that taste amazing, Choji! You're going to have to teach me how to make it."

"Ah, cannot do," Choji winked, waving a spatula at her. "This specific recipe stays within the family. Meaning, when I get married, I'll teach it to my wife—and she'll teach it to our kids."

"I get it," Sakura giggled, reaching in the fridge to grab herself the nearest alcoholic beverage. "My grandma was the same way about her recipes. She never shared it with other people, just the family."

"Your grandma is a very smart woman," Choji chuckled, turning his attention back to the meat when Shikamaru shouted that the skillet had lit up in flames. Choji lifted the skillet, expertly tossing the meat around until the flame died down, "Don't worry," he laughed heartily. "I've got it under control."

Shikamaru shook his head gravely, patting Choji's back and muttering something about paying attention more. Ino had set herself up at the table, Tenten doling out a set of cards to her. Tenten popped her head up, "Do you wanna join?"

Sakura took a long sip of her beer, "Um, can I just sit and watch? I'm not very good at card games."

"Having fun requires participation," Kiba called from the living room, not removing his eyes from the TV screen. "You should know all about that, shouldn't she, Gaara?"

Sakura glanced over at Gaara, who scowled deeply and cast Kiba a wilting gaze, "Shut the fuck up."

"I'm just saying, she was participating earlier by the sounds of it—right?" Kiba remarked, unbothered by Gaara staring daggers at him.

"You know," Sakura began, meandering over to the threshold between the kitchen and the living room. "You sound a little salty, Kiba. Could it be that you're jealous I got action from Kakashi and you haven't? I mean, you _have _been trying for years to get in his pants, after all."

"Psh, where are you even getting that?" Kiba scoffed, glancing up from the TV to glare at Sakura.

Sakura plucked a shoulder, leaning against the beam, "Well, apparently you're _always _grilling Kakashi about what he does in the bedroom. You're obviously hard on wanting his dick, if you're always asking about it."

"Hardly- I've already seen his dick," Kiba replied haughtily, jutting a thumb at his chest.

"Why are we talking about my dick?" Kakashi piped up, cocking his head to the side and grinning.

"See, that just proves my point," Sakura chuckled. "You've seen it, you are dying to find out what he does with it—therefore you want it. Can't say I blame you, it is pretty impressive."

"Alright, you're starting to creep me out," Kiba admonished, chucking the game controller to the side and leaning back with an arm behind Kakashi. "Besides, I've been around longer. That means I have dibs on his dick."

"Aw, Kiba," Temari sang from the kitchen, her hands clasped over her heart. "I am so proud of you. I know coming out is hard, and I'm glad you trust us enough to do that. We love you, no matter how many dicks you take in a night."

Kakashi leaned forward away from Kiba's arm, standing to his feet, "Count my dick out."

"Oh, _please_," Kiba huffed with a roll of his eyes. "If I were gay, you'd all want a slice of this."

"Don't flatter yourself," Shino commented, adjusting his sunglasses. "You're a hard four, at best."

Kiba gawked, pulling up a bag and digging around in it, "A hard _four?_ I'm an eight, first off. Second, why are you counting your dick out, Kakashi? It's the best dick, so naturally I'd want it."

"Not the best dick," Naruto grimaced, swiveling in his spot to face everyone else. "The scariest dick. It's like a fucking sledgehammer, or a baseball bat. I'm traumatized because of it. I see an anaconda, I scream."

Kakashi shook his head, "Can we talk about something else?"

"Yeah, Sakura," Kiba smirked. "Can we talk about the fact that you look like Cruella Deville's fur coat?"

"I'd wear her," Kakashi winked, moving to sit down at the kitchen table; tapping the wood indicating for Tenten to give him cards.

"Yeah, she looks worn," Kiba muttered, holding a bag of weed and plucking the nugget out to break apart on a small tray on his lap.

"Look, Kiba if you want to suck the man's dick, just ask. Your mouth is big enough." Sakura planted a fist on her hip, narrowing her eyes and winking.

"You're a real ass," Kiba snickered, shaking his head and stuffing the bowl of a small pipe. He held it up towards Sakura. "Do you want some?"

"Oh...I don't know..." Sakura hummed, glancing around to catch everyone's waiting expression. "I've never actually smoked before."

"There's a first time for everything," Lee remarked, leaning over to peek at Tenten's cards and scowling when Tenten shrunk away.

"Wait, so all of you really smoke?"

"Except Gaara," Neji nodded in unison with everyone else.

Sakura turned her attention to Kakashi who was muttering something to Gaara and elbowing him. "You smoke, too?"

Kakashi's head whipped towards Sakura, "Hmm? Oh, sure. At the parties. It's not a day to day thing. It helps us-"

"Relax," Sakura decapitated, somewhat astonished. "Temari told me."

"You don't have to smoke," Shino declared.

"Yeah, we won't judge you, _little bunny_," Ino sang impishly, glancing over at Kakashi.

"Doesn't sound as sexy as when I say it," Kakashi remarked coolly, slapping down two cards and fisting the air excitedly while Lee groaned openly.

"Well, hurry up and make up your mind," Kiba sighed, still holding out the pipe. "Or I'm skipping you completely. I thought I'd be nice and let you smoke first."

Sakura chewed on her lip, deliberating. She'd never smoked before, mainly because she never had the time. The concept of smoking never bothered her, she was just simply surprised the team was smoking; but then again they were just regular human beings, too. It's not like they had some insane moral code they had to adhere to, like Batman. A part of her had always wanted to try it, considering everything she heard about it; gods knew she could use a little help in relaxing.

"Sssaaakkkuuurrraaaa..." Kiba sang impatiently.

"Okay, okay," Sakura exclaimed, palms up in defense. "I'll smoke. But don't judge me, okay."

"I'm way past that," he grinned, watching Sakura march over and grab the pipe and lighter from him. "You know how to hit it, right?"

Sakura scowled, "Yeah, I think so."

"Mmhhm," Kiba nodded skeptically. "Put your thumb over this little hole when you light and suck. Then remove your thumb and suck in the rest of the smoke. Easy peasy."

"Easy peasy," Sakura muttered, putting the pipe to her lips.

She felt a little uneasy, mainly because she thought that everyone was watching her. When she did a quick scope of the room before lighting the pipe, she noticed the only person eyeballing her was Kakashi. His dark eyes were lit with humor, and a small grin was pulled crookedly at the corner of his mouth. Sakura pinched her brows down at him before turning back to Kiba and taking one small test hit first; making sure she did it right. After, she did it two more times; the second time feeling the burn in the back of her throat and lungs. She started to cough like a madman, waving air into her face and feeling her eyes water.

"Are you sure that's weed?" She spluttered, moving to the kitchen to take a swig of her beer.

Kiba took one big hit, holding the smoke in before billowing it out and laughing, "Yes, and it's good weed, too. So, you know. Buckle up and enjoy the ride—and I don't mean Kakashi."

"Don't tease me with a good time," Sakura snickered, peering over Choji's shoulder to get a better look at what he was cooking.

Kiba passed the pipe around to everyone in the room, besides Gaara who took off to the back yard to smoke a cigarette. Sakura watched with almost fascination each person smoking—as though it were some marvel. When it came around to Kakashi's turn, she tried not to blatantly stare, but she did. She watched his lips form over the pipe, the way his jaw clenched when he inhaled, and the way his neck flexed when he exhaled. Something about watching him do something simple seemed erotic, though Sakura knew chances are she could only see him though sex-colored glasses right now.

Everything he did seemed sexual.

The way he drank down his beer and his tongue would dart out to lick up the foam. The way he'd muss his hair and laugh at something stupid someone said, or the smartass remark he'd casually make. When his long body would stand and he'd make his way to the fridge; casually brushing up against her, his hand light on her hip or the small of her back in passing. Sakura noticed he was wearing clothes that made his body stand out more than usual; a black t-shirt with a slight v-neck that seemed to hug his pectorals. Dark blue jeans with shredded sections, fitting him yet somehow appearing just loose enough. She knew underneath the fabric the man was all muscle, and it took a lot for her to not sneak her hand up his shirt to feel the skin there. She also noticed with some disdain, that Kakashi had yet to say anything about the get up Ino had put her in. While she was still pretty embarrassed to be wearing it, she had really hoped that she'd get a reaction out of him; he'd say something, at least. For the most part though, he seemed to be really involved with the team. Everyone was laughing, joking, chatting about one thing or another. Shino and Neji swapped with Tenten and Lee to play the video game for playing cards. Naruto hung around Shika and Choji, harassing them for the ingridients for the meal they're making. Ino, Hinata, and Temari were grouped together on the couch, talking casually.

By this point, everyone was several beers in and everyone appeared wholly relaxed. Choji finished up with the cooking, serving up hot plates of delicious cooked meat and veggies that made Sakura's mouth water when she caught wind of it. She doesn't know when it happened, but as Sakura began to chew on her meat she noticed that she was chewing longer than usual. Her gaze became more distant, and her body felt weightless. Everything seemed funnier to her, and all she wanted to do was just listen in on everyone's conversation. All the worries she had typically dancing in the back of her mind seemed severely blurred, to nonexistent at all. The outfit didn't bother her so much, whatever anxiety she had was thrown to the breeze. Sakura figured she must be high, the way she felt like her head was buzzing. She found herself glancing over at Kakashi, who was now sitting on the couch next to Lee, Kiba, Naruto, and Shika. Sat across from them was Choji, Shino, and Gaara; all the men talking among themselves while all the women were at the table. Everyone seemed to be having a really great time, the drinks kept going, the music was still playing, and the laughter almost never stopped. There was no pressure for anyone to perform or entertain; it was purely just to unwind. Sakura found herself really having a great time and feeling thankful for the new group of friends she's made.

"Hey, let's all play a game!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, standing to raise his beer in the air.

"What do you suggest?" Neji grinned, fingers locked over his stomach. The otherwise straight spined man was slouched on the couch, almost suck into the couch cushions; eyes heavy-lidded, seemingly content.

"Hmmm, I don't know—how about Jyan ken pon?"

"BOR-ING!" Ino shouted, flicking her small wrist. "I know that could entertain you for hours, but we'd like to play an adult game."

"As long as they're not your adult games," Tenten giggled, her high cheek bones pink from the alcohol.

"Yeah, you nasty," Naruto squinted red eyes at her suspiciously.

"Sorry, I don't put much stock in a sex slave," Ino yawed, bored.

"Sex slave..." Naruto slowly turned his head from Ino to Hinata, peering deeply at either of them. "What are you talking about?"

"Sakura, do you have any fun American games we can all play?" Ino continued, ignoring Naruto who was still drawling on about how he doesn't know what she's talking about.

"Umm.." Sakura closed her eyes, pink brows pulling down as she thought hard. "Never Have I Ever?"

"What's that?" Choji inquired, dangling a piece of meat above him and swallowing it whole.

Sakura took in a slow breath, trying to make sure what she says makes sense, "It's...a game..."

"You don't say?" Shika teased, rolling his eyes.

Sakura ignored him, "It's a drinking game, but like you get to learn things about the other? So you say, 'never have I ever been in a fight,' and if you have been in a fight, you take a drink. So you just think up shit that you've done or could do, or things people do."

"Oh, that sounds fun!" Temari smiled excitedly. "How do you win?"

Sakura shrugged, "Well, usually it's whoever gets the most fucked up first loses."

"So you just say whatever comes to mind?"

Sakura nodded, popping her lips and gulping down the rest of her beer. She stood up and grabbed another, noting to herself that she lost count four beers ago. She was definitely high, and she was also most definitely buzzed. Usually Sakura didn't let loose this way around people, but she felt incredibly comfortable with the team; knowing nothing bad would come from it.

"Okay, well let's play!" Ino clapped her hands together loudly. "You're the American, you go first Sakura."

"Ah, hmm...Okay, I've got one," Sakura ran her tongue across her lower lip. "Never have I ever broken into somewhere."

Everyone deadpanned, lifting their beers and taking hefty swigs.

"You've all broken into a place before?!" Sakura gasped loudly.

"Uh, duh," Shika remarked slowly. "It comes with the territory."

"You don't have like...super-secret access to places?" Sakura giggled, realizing somewhere in her head just how dumb she probably sounded.

Neji guffawed, "Bad guys won't give us 'super-secret' access to their hide outs. We've got to do what we've got to do, it's a part of the job."

"Isn't that scary?"

"Not really," Tenten commented casually. "You get used to it. As long as you don't get caught, you're fine."

"What happens when you get caught?" Sakura realized that, even though she knew a little about what the team did, she had little to no details about their jobs. She understood it was dangerous; they all bore scars like Kakashi. "Do you get arrested?"

Naruto cackled, "I wish we'd get arrested. Usually we just get stabbed or shot at if we get caught."

Sakura's face fell, "Oh...boy, that just really...really sucks..."

Everyone broke out into laughter; laughing way harder and longer than what was warranted. Peering around, Sakura could tell everyone was feeling as light-headed as she was. If the way they behaved didn't make it obvious, the sets of squinted eyes made it clear, too. Stiff shoulders seemed slack, tense jaws loose, and everyone seemed to be wearing a smile. Even Kakashi, the king of cool, was now taking "chill" to an entirely new level. His already aloof manner was tripled, regarding everything with a complacent, feckless gaze. She found herself feeling jealous over how fucking cool he was, wishing she could have the same air about her instead of being high strung all the time.

"Alright, I'll go next," Naruto beamed, adjusting himself to cross his legs. "Never have I ever...done a handstand...?"

"Really?" Ino remarked dully. "That's the best you've got?"

Naruto grimaced, "What do you mean, that's a good one! I mean, _have _you done a handstand before?"

Ino glowered, lifting her hand to give him the bird.

"Hmph," Naruto snorted, a wide smug smile spreading across his face. "That's what I thought."

"Whatever, you can't do one either," Shika yawned, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Uh, yes I can," Naruto retorted defensively. "Ask Hinata! I've done a thousand- I do handstands all the time!"

"Why?" Kakashi chuckled lazily. "What goes on in your day to day life that warrants a thousand handstands? And why just a thousand, was that your limit?"

Naruto gawked, tossing his head around the room, "Hinata- back me up!"

Hinata giggled, her nose and cheeks a subtle red. She raised her hands to smooth her hair down, giggling again and casting her gaze to her lap.

"She's too high to back you up," Kiba chortled. "That means we don't believe you."

"Ah! What?!" Naruto shouted, hands held out to his sides in exasperation. "I'm telling the truth! I'm good at things like that!"

"You know what," Shino began, tipping his beer in Naruto's direction. "Let's make a deal. If you can do a handstand _and_ a backflip—we'll take you for your word for now on about super cool things you can do." Shino was smiling, his tone patronizing as though he were a parent breaking something down for a toddler to understand.

Naruto, none the wiser, took the bait. "OH, you are _on_, Shino-fo-fino-mo-mino! I'll do a fuckin handstand _and_ a backflip to prove it to you assholes."

"Ah, ah ah ah," Rock Lee sat up, wiggling his finger. "Let's sweeten the deal, friend. I _challenge _you to a handstand-backflip...off...We'll both do them, and everyone can judge who did it the best."

Naruto lifted his chin, bright blue eyes hardening with drunk determination, "I accept your challenge, Lee."

Lee stood up suddenly, thrusting his fist out in front of him and his bushy brows pinching aggressively, "This will be the challenge of a lifetime! And if I lose, I owe you ramen for a week!"

"What if I lose?"

"Then you have to do a handstand every time before you walk into a building," Shika tittered. "And we'll also never believe you when you say you can do something. But, let's shake it up. You can't just do a handstand and then a backflip. You have to start with a backflip and then land into a handstand."

"Fine!" Naruto shouted, laughing loudly before pointing a finger at Lee. "You. Me. Backflip-handstand. NOW!"

"Woah," Kakashi called out, pulsing his palms in front of him. "This is great and I can't wait to see who loses; but do this shit in the backyard."

"Alright! Let's fuckin' do this shit!" Naruto hollered, standing to open the sliding back door and wave his arm wildly before dashing out.

The team started to move, Lee being the first to follow Naruto out while everyone else lined out; muttering among each other about placing bets on who cracks their skull. Sakura moved to her feet, beginning to amble her way over when an arm snuck its way around her waist and pulled her into a hard body. Another hand slid to span flat across her stomach, and the rumble of Kakashi's voice vibrated in her ear, "I have been waiting all night to get you alone for a second."

"Have you?" Sakura piqued, running her hand down his forearm to intertwine her fingers with his on her stomach.

"Mmhmm," he hummed, nuzzling the dip just behind Sakura's earlobe. "So you spilled the beans, hmmm?"

"Beans?" Sakura echoed, her hazy mind confused. "What beans?"

"_The_ beans, Sakura. No one is allowed to call you little bunny besides me."

"Oh," Sakura giggled, dipping her head back against his collarbone. "She just has the way of getting you to talk."

"Yeah, it's called peer pressure," Kakashi snickered, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "Speaking of Ino, did she buy you this little get up?"

"She did," Sakura nodded. "She said she was my fairy godmother of getting dick. She said it'd make you sweat."

Kakashi chuckled, pulling her in tighter against his body, "Well, kudos to your godmother of dick. I've been sweatin' up a storm all night."

"Could have fooled me," Sakura muttered, not even registering what she had just said. The combination of alcohol and weed has now fully removed her filter, and though somewhere she thought maybe she should care; but she honestly didn't.

"Excuse me?" Kakashi started, using his hands to turn Sakura around to face him. Onyx eyes glittered with mild amusement, though his silver brows were pulled tight in the middle. "Run that by me again?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying, you didn't say anything all night to me about it; so I felt a little bummed."

"Usagi, I can't say out loud in front of the team just exactly what I'm thinking when I see you in that cute little mini-skirt," Kakashi's eyes narrowed, head dipping down to kiss her lips softly. "They would be horrified, and Kiba would probably never ask about my sex life again."

Sakura kissed him back, feeling a slight jolt of electricity in her chest when he deepened the kiss; his tongue drawing a wet line along her bottom lip. Sakura pressed her hips into his, arching at her lower back to fully look at Kakashi. "What would you say?"

Kakashi's eyes flashed, his chin tipped down so his gaze leveled with hers, "You really want me to say it?"

"I do," she rasped.

One silver eyebrow arched, "It's very dirty, Sakura."

"Try me," she whispered, moving in to kiss him again. From outside, faint cheering and whooping could be heard from the rest of the team; though that didn't seem to tear either of the two's gaze away from each other. They were wrapped up in a bubble, enraptured by each other; and Sakura didn't care if she was caught in an embrace with the man. She just wanted to be touched by him.

"Well," he rumbled, kissing the corners of her mouth and her chin, "The first thing I'd do is run my hands up the back of your thighs and give your ass a good slap just to test how tight this skirt is on you. Then, for good measure, I'd get a handful of your cheeks."

"You do that a lot," Sakura giggled.

Kakashi winked, "You've got a very nice body Sakura, and a great ass to boot. I'm just showing my appreciation for it. Now, where was I..."

"You were squeezing my tush."

"Ah," Kakashi nodded knowingly. "I was." Hands moved from her sides, down her back to cup her ass tightly; pulling the globes of her behind up, pulling the skirt with it. "I'd kiss you nice and slow; making sure you feel my hands all over every inch of your body. When you're nice and worked up, I'd turn you around-"

Suddenly Kakashi grabbed Sakura's shoulders, whipping her around and wrapping his left arm around the front of her hips to tuck her into his lap. He leaned over, whispering in her ear, "I'd part your legs with my feet first-" Using his foot, he wiggled it between Sakura's feet; knocking his foot against the side of her ankles to spread them apart. "I'd bend you over and-"

"Hey, you two are missing th—oh fucking Christ, would you two get a room?" Kiba had charged in, eyes wide with excitement, his expression falling when he caught sight of Sakura and Kakashi.

Sakura leapt forward, detangling herself from Kakashi and trying to hide the rising blush in her face. Kakashi simply straightened, a lopsided, smug smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Kiba shook his head, "You two seriously can't wait until the party's over?"

"Ah, well," Kakashi shrugged carelessly, rubbing his jaw with his hand. "I saw the opportunity, I took it."

Kiba opened his mouth to speak at the same time the rest of the team came piling in, Naruto holding his head and groaning loudly about a rematch. Lee was beaming with victory and pride, smiling ear to ear and laughing. Sakura moved to sit down at the kitchen table, feeling Kakashi's hand graze the bare skin of her mid-drift as she passed. The team sat back down in their spots, tittering on among each other about different topics and laughing loudly.

The remainder of the night continued on with light conversation and laughter, however at some point Sakura lost track of what was being talked about. Her head had started to swim, and she suddenly felt extremely exhausted. Hinata had passed out on the couch while the rest of the girls sat at the table. The men were in the living room chattering among themselves, and though Sakura tried to listen in she couldn't pay attention. She had started to nod off when she felt a light tap on her shoulder, her eyes cracking open to see Kakashi smiling at her.

"Why don't you go to bed?" He muttered, grabbing her hand to pull her up.

"No," Sakura groaned, landing a light slap on his shoulder. "I don't wanna be a party pooper."

"Hinata already pooped on the party," he chuckled. "Just go ahead and get some sleep. Everyone is about to pass out anyways, so I'll be there in a little bit."

Sakura rubbed her eyes sleepily, "Are you sure? I can hang."

He shook his head, "I'm sure. Everyone," Kakashi turned to face the team. "Say goodnight to Sakura."

"Is she tapping out?" Kiba asked, lolling his head to the side drunkenly. "Alright. Goodnight." The rest of the team followed Kiba's lead, smiling and waving goodnight to Sakura.

"Night," she smiled weakly, letting Kakashi take her hand and guide her to the bedroom.

"You're going to bed, too?" Shika called out to Kakashi.

"No," he answered over his shoulder. "There's things we've got to talk about beforehand."

When they reached the bedroom, Sakura tossed her body on the bed; feeling heavy and weightless at the same time. She closed her eyes tightly, breathing in through her nose and out her mouth to keep the spinning in her head to a minimum. On her side, she could feel tugging at the leather strings of the skirt. Sakura lifted her head, peering over at Kakashi who was undoing the string.

"What are you doing?" she drawled, jutting her hip to try to shake him off. "I can do it."

Kakashi simply continued, grinning to himself as he moved to the other side to repeat the action.

Sakura shook her hip again, turning over on her back with her hands braced behind her. She lifted her leg and planted her foot in the middle of his chest in attempts to push him back some. Kakashi wrapped his hands around her ankle, raising her foot to run his lips along the side before planting a kiss in the arch of her sole. Sakura giggled and moved to jerk her foot back only to be caught and held in place by Kakashi. Their eyes met for an immeasurable amount of time before Sakura spoke up.

"That tickles..."

"I'm not sorry," he replied, pressing his lips against her sole again. "Now," using her ankle, he tugged her body towards him effortlessly. "Stop distracting me so I can help you get out of these clothes."

"I don't need you to undress me," Sakura bit hazily, scowling at him. "I can take care of it myelf."

"I know," he remarked simply. "But any chance I can get to take clothes off of you, I'm going to take." With another tug, he pulled her close enough that her legs were on either side of his waist, his big hands coming up to her hips; fingers tucking under the tight fabric of the skirt and tugging down.

"You're a pervert," Sakura snickered, letting her head fall back as he tugged the skirt off completely and tossed it to the side.

"Only with you, Sakura," he sang, running his hands up her sides to grip the bottom of her shirt. "Sit up, please."

Sakura jerked the upper half of her body up slowly, feeling the world around her wobble as she rose. She wrinkled her nose at Kakashi, "Sure you do. I bet you do this for all the ladies." She raised her arms when Kakashi pulled the shirt up over her head. Once the fabric was pulled up and gone, she was greeted with the earnest gaze of Kakashi.

"That's where you're wrong, my dear Sakura. I have never wanted a woman as bad as I want you. I've never wanted to take care of a woman as much as I want to take care of you. I've never ever felt the need to prove myself to someone, but I constantly feel the need to prove myself to you. I've never wanted to protect someone like I do you, and I've never been so sexually wound up by someone like I am with you. I'd do anything for you; I'd get you the moon, if you wanted me to."

Sakura's brow crumpled. She was definitely drunk, and as hard as she tried to focus on the weight of his words, her eyes were willing her to sleep. She laid back, wiggling into the bed and peering through cracked eyes at Kakashi.

"So you're saying you love me?" She croaked, feeling a blanket being pulled over her.

Through her lashes, she saw Kakashi lean in and kiss her sweetly, pulling away to murmur, "It feels that way."

Eyes fluttered, and darkness encroached in on Sakura.


	20. Breakfast

**Author's note: I am SO SORRY about how long it's taken to get this chapter out. I've been so busy, but I promise I'll be doing a chapter a week at least. Thank you all for being so patient with me! Alright, y'all have waited long enough. LEMON. May I recommend some music to listen to you read this? Being the smut-slut I am, it's prudent to have good music to go with the scene. Sets the mood, if you know what I mean *wink wink* *nudge nudge* Here's a list of songs I've decided are perfect for these two: Suffer- Charlie Puth, Pillow Talk- Zayn, Get You- Daniel Caesar, Unravel Me- Sabrina Claudio (one of the best ones), Stand Still- Sabrina Claudio, Skin- Dijon, Frozen- Sabrina Claudio, Poison- Brent Faiyaz (also a really good one.) Okily dokily oh, kitties. Light some candles, set the mood, and read on (; as always, reviews will encourage my hamster to stop stripping just to pay her way through medical school and go get that intern job she'd always wanted.**

Kakashi watched Sakura's eyes flutter as sleep consumed her. Dark eyes flicked over the marks he had left her, and he told himself those would be the only type of bruises he'd ever let her have again. He knew it, in his heart he knew he had fallen for this woman. He didn't understand it, but he stopped trying to rationalize it long ago. He stopped trying to make sense of the way he was feeling, and for once just allow himself to simply feel.

Sakura was it for him.

He'd do everything in his power to win her over completely, and then he'd do everything in his power to keep her there. His own words seemed to echo in his head, and they rang true. He'd never felt this way for another woman like he did Sakura. He'd never been so willing to throw it all away for someone, but here he was braced and ready for whatever should come. The only people he told himself he'd happily die for was his team; Sakura was one of them, now. In the time he's gotten to know her, he's seen her heart for what it is and treasured it. He understood there was so much more to unravel, but it was a process that he was all too willing to go through for the rest of his days. He wanted mornings with her, breakfast and TV dramas. He wanted to go grocery shopping with her, regular walks with the dogs, and vacations to unusual places. He wanted to be wholly wrapped in her world, and have her wholly wrapped in his world. He wanted to share things with her, provide for her, and support her.

Gods damn it all, he loved her.

Kakashi knew he couldn't stop his line of work, he never would, really. But he'd do his best to make sure Sakura felt as safe as possible, and that she fully understood that he was a professional. He also knew she would never feel safe until Sota was captured for good, which reminded him of what he needed to do.

With one last glance at Sakura, he ran his hand along her smooth cheek; lingering on the scars there before turning on his heel out of the bedroom and back into the living room. Everyone's heads raised as he walked in, expressions expectant as they waited for him to speak.

"I know you're all drunk," he began. "But before you crash we need to talk about tomorrow."

"You mean today," Kiba corrected with a grin.

"Right. Let's go over what we're doing again."

Shikamaru, who had been sprawled across Temari, sat up; his back popping loudly as he did. "Neji and Shino found out about Hisato's whereabouts—Naruto, Neji, Shino, you, and I are going to sneak into Hisato's location and capture him. Ino did a good job and scrounging up information on the things the man's done, so we've got enough proof to hand him over to the detectives and turn him in. It's just getting to him that may be the problem."

"Shouldn't be," Kiba remarked. "He's way too out of shape for us not to catch."

"Be that as it may," Shika sighed. "He's got a group of men doing rounds on his location all the time _because_ he handles the finances and deals with clients. So, I'm going in under the guise of being a potential buyer—Shino pulled a name from the Bingo Book of a man with the reputation of a well-known buyer, however no one knows what he looks like; it's the perfect cover up. Hisato is so hard on getting Sota good money that he'll let me in, no sweat. Once I'm in, I'll let the rest know how many grunts I come across. Once I'm in the man's office and we're talking, You, Naruto, and Neji are in charge of ticking the men off by whatever means necessary. Get the men on the outside first and then get them on the inside. Once Neji gives me the all clear, I'll give the cue for you, him, and Naruto to come into the office. From there, we'll snag the rat bastard and bring him to the club for questioning. If anyone of Sota's three pigs should know where Sota hides out at, it has to be the man that handle's his money and sales."

"What about tweedle dee and tweedle dum?" Kakashi inquired, pulling up a kitchen chair to plop down on it; elbows propped on his knees, hands clasped together. "How do we know they're not hanging around the joint?"

Shino shook his head, "We've learned the brothers Reiji and Riichi hate Hisato. A grunt we got ahold of told us that there have been several occasions that the older brother nearly beat the man to death. So, out of the three of them; Hisato isn't a priority, not to the brothers, at least. He's the weakest link, so he'll be the easiest to take out."

"Excellent, what time is this being executed?"

"There's a window of time Hisato accepts 'walk-ins' so to speak, according to a grunt. From 7 to 9, so Shika will be arriving at 7 sharp, just in case anyone else is trying to see Hisato as well," Neji remarked with a slow nod. "Once Shika steps in and gives us a count internally, we'll strike and make our way in."

"Got it. Keep us updated at all points from the inside," Kakashi asserted. "We've got to make sure this goes as smoothly as possible, as quick as possible. If one of the grunts alerts the brothers or even Sota, we will have to retreat. We really can't risk being found out, not until we know where Sota is planning on taking off to."

"How many men does Sota have working for him, anyways," Tenten yawned. "We've captured so many this month, I've lost count."

"Unfortunately, the Yakuza has an endless supply of grunts," Kakashi exclaimed, leaning back into the chair. "From what I reckon, however, they'll have to narrow down at some point. The head boss can give Sota only so many men before he starts to become suspicious—so that only works in our favor, because the moment the boss gets wind of Sota's little escapade he'll off Sota in an instant because he's essentially jeopardizing the Yakuza for his own gain; a feat a crime lord won't be too fond of."

"Are you sure about that?" Gaara piped up, arms crossed and peering intensely. "Couldn't Sota simply convince the crime lord that Sakura needs to be outed? He could easily tell him that she knows what Sota does and she's a liability. Then he'd have not just that chapter, but the whole of the Yakuza on his side."

"Not entirely," Shika enunciated. "As far as we know, Sota is on thin ice with the crime lord as it is. Several of the grunts said the same thing along the lines of Sota's funding being cut short or Sota being replaced because he's sloppy. Apparently, Sakura is not the first woman he's been hellbent over. There have been multiple women that he's done something like this to; the only difference is that he usually captures the women by now. So, chances are this is something that Sota has had to of gone to the crime lord about before and he's been reprimanded; it's old news and as we all know, the crime lord is a smart man."

"So Sota isn't a priority to the Yakuza," Gaara articulated slowly.

"Exactly," Shika nodded. "Meaning if he's out of the picture, it'll be a favor to the Yakuza."

"Does that mean that the sex trafficking chapter will be shut down?" Temari questioned, leaning over Shika's shoulder.

Kakashi plucked a shoulder, "In our area, temporarily; yes. It'll only be a matter of time before the Yakuza find a new man. However, they're bound to hold off for a good amount of time if they feel like they're being sniffed out by the government. Right now, the detectives want Sota and all his monkies; that's our job."

"Who's going to stay here with Sakura tomorrow?" Hinata piped up softly, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"Well, we've got Gaara, Kiba, and Shino holding out at the club for when we bring Hisato in. Ino is working, Temari is on a different job with Tenten and Hinata. That leaves Choji and Lee," Kakashi ticked off, glancing between the two.

"We'll both stay here," Choji confirmed with a curt nod. "Since most of you are off on a major job for Sota, it's best we both stay—just in case."

Lee nodded in agreement, "He's right. We can both stay here until we get word that everything has been finalized."

Kakashi smiled, "Great, I really appreciate it. Keep your eyes peeled while you're here. When everything is said and done, I'll call you to let you know I'm on my way back."

"Sounds like a plan," Choji proclaimed, leaning back on his hands. "We'll show up around nine in the morning."

"Alright, well," Kakashi looked down at an imaginary watch. "It's late, we've got a lot to do here soon. Feel free to crash where ever; there are blankets in the linen closet in the hallway. I'll meet all of you at the club early tomorrow morning."

"We'll leave," Shika remarked, moving to his feet and pulling Temari up with him. "I'm good to drive, I didn't drink much anyways. Hinata, Naruto, Choji; you're coming with us, right?"

Naruto stood, stretching his body taunt and yawning loudly, "Yeah, we're coming."

"I'll drive your car, Kiba," Shino remarked, moving to his feet as well.

"Good," Kiba huffed. "I thought I was going to be the only one crashing here."

"What," Kakashi chuckled. "You all hate me that much?"

"No," Ino grinned, looping her bag over her shoulder. "We just figured we'd give you and Sakura some space."

"She's passed out," Kakashi simpered, standing up and stretching his body out as well.

"Doesn't mean you can't wake her up," She snickered, wiggling her eyebrows and following the line out the door.

"You're a monster, Ino."

Ino winked, "Hardly. Oh, I meant to tell you," she turned to face Kakashi fully, icy blue eyes earnest. "If you two end up getting physical, please do make sure you're being careful with her. She's still healing, the last thing we need right now is for her to get hurt again or those stitches to open back up."

"I understand, Ino," Kakashi imparted, hand raised up with his palm facing her. "If anything happens, I'll be more than careful."

Ino shook her head, her expression skeptical, "It's not a matter of if, Kakashi. Don't be surprised if you wake up and she's assaulting you."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he smirked, hand now on the front door and holding it open for her. Almost everyone else had left, except the rest of the team she carpooled with were sitting in the car and waiting.

"I really like Sakura," Ino commented, eyes widening with sincerity. "I really want her to be apart of our fucked-up family."

"Me too, Ino."

"So, do us all a favor and don't fuck it up, okay?" Ino advised with a sweet smile.

Kakashi traced a 'X' over his chest with his index finger, "Cross my heart."

Ino punched Kakashi on the arm lightly before turning around and hopping in the car. He watched them back up and pull away; peering around the area once more, shutting the door and locking every lock on it. Kakashi made it a quick job of cleaning up the house, shutting off every light on his way to the bedroom. As quietly as he possibly could be, he opened up the door and slid in; regarding Sakura's crass form.

The blanket that he had pulled over her was tossed off to the side of the bed, and she was sprawled out on her back with her arms splayed out on either side of her; her legs stretched out wide diagonally across the bed. Her light snoring could be heard along with the hum of the ceiling fan, and Kakashi couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself. As quick as he could, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and snapped a picture; chuckling under his breath and muttering, "Blackmail..."

Once he finished up a quick shower and brushed his teeth, Kakashi ambled towards the bed; opting to sleep in just his boxers this time around and not sweats like he had been. He usually slept in just boxers at any rate, but since Sakura has been staying at the house he chose sweats out of respect for her. Now that a line has been crossed between them, he figured no harm no foul. He stood by the side of the bed, reaching over to grab Sakura's leg and gently drag her to reposition her. Moving her, her body felt three times heavier than what she usually feels, telling him that she was beyond relaxed and beyond passed out. Even as he moved to the other side and slid in bed, hooking his arm around her to pull her close to spoon her; she didn't stir in the slightest.

Holding her, Kakashi couldn't deny the perfect way her body fit with his. The curves of her body met with the plain of his, her breath rose and fell with his, and he could almost hear the slow heavy thud of her heartbeat matching his. He nuzzled his nose at the nape of her neck, smelling her roses and honey flavor he'd come to recognize and long for. He'd never met a woman who made him feel so strong and weak at the same time, that challenged who he was as a man, and encouraged him to be an even better one. Holding her, he realized nothing in the world had never felt so right as it felt with her in his arms. He pulled her in tighter, drifting off to sleep with the faint sound of her snoring sending him off.

Blood was pulsing loud in his ears when he woke up. His skin felt hot and all of his muscles were tensed; coiled tight and ready to spring. He shot up, glancing around the room with sharp eyes to see if anything was amiss. Sakura was curled up next to him, her head facing the wall and her ass jutted out where it had fit in the curve of his body. Glancing down, he realized what had got his blood racing to begin with. Standing loud and proud from behind the thin fabric of his boxers was his member; ready to rock. Being a man, this wasn't unknown to him in the wee hours of the morning, however he knew the difference between needing to go to the restroom and needing to romp around.

It was whole-heartedly the latter.

He gazed down at her frame, her curves being hugged by the blanket; hair splayed out on the pillow like pink rays of sunshine and he found himself leaning over to inhale her sweet scent. Kakashi didn't really know what it was about the way a woman smelled that he found so erotic, but he was a man of all six senses of which Sakura catered to easily. Her smell drew him in, her taste made his mouth water, her sound drove him, her sight egged him, and her touch fanned the flames of his desire. He was a man by all means, and though he'd take all the time in the world to make sure everything was under Sakura's consent; it doesn't mean it hasn't been somewhat of a struggle for him. From the first moment he laid eyes on her, he wanted to bed her. From the first interaction with her, he wanted to know her. From that first morning when she could eat solid food again, the cute way she danced alongside him and expertly poured up a cup of coffee for him; he wanted to wed her. All things take time, he understood that; and he was an incredibly patient man. That being said, he knew without a single doubt in his mind Sakura was really it for him. Should something happen; should she not feel the same, should she step away, or even if she ever fell out of love with him; he'd not let himself grow bitter. He would treasure that season of his life, if that were the case.

The season of love.  
He'd bask in it, as much as he possibly could.

Should things ever change, he'd hope that he'd leave a mark on Sakura. Not in a way that would hurt or hinder her, but in a manner he'd hope she can think back fondly on. He'd happily be the stepping stool to bigger and better, if it meant Sakura's ultimate happiness. She deserved the world, and should she feel like she can't get it with him; he hopes he can be an example other men would have to lead by. He would be lying if the thought of losing Sakura didn't devastate him—he thought about it randomly and would feel his heart sink. He tried his best not to dwell on the topic often, however it is a topic of possibility because if anyone knew that the future was uncertain; it was Kakashi. He decided he'd make the most of every moment, and even if Sakura being wholly his was solidified; he'd still make the most. She was a woman he never wanted to take for granted.

He'd never felt so goddamned lovey dovey like this a day in his life until he met Sakura.  
It was appalling, a feeling he wasn't absolutely used to. Regardless, it was a feeling he was going to embrace with open arms; no matter the end result.

From the bed came a hefty breath, followed with Sakura's body shifting under the blankets; settling for laying on her side, arms tucked under the pillow and the knee of her left leg pulled up. She wiggled her head into the pillow several times before stilling completely again. Kakashi leaned over Sakura, lowering his face in to kiss her on the temple in several small pecks. Just as he was about to pull away to take a brisk shower to offset all the blood rushing to the lower half of his body; Sakura rustled, moving her head and shifting her legs.

"Hmmh?" she croaked sleepily, pinching her shoulder blades together as her arms went out in front of her in a lazy stretch.

"Hey," Kakashi muttered, kissing from her temple to the top of her shoulder and slowly peeling back the blanket to reveal her nearly naked form. He had almost forgot she was just in her bra and panties, and the sight of her stretched out on his bed barely waking up made his heart thud hard in his chest.

What did that book say again...? Something about falling in love in the mornings...?  
He couldn't remember.  
He only wanted to act.

Kakashi pressed his body closer to hers, leaning over to kiss her cheek again, grinning when her little pink brows twitched down in an expression of annoyance. Neither of them were morning people by a longshot, so it wasn't a surprise to him she was expressing attitude. He found her sleepy disdain unendingly cute.

"Mmhng..." she grunted raspily, her stomach tightening when Kakashi ran his hand over the cinch of her waist and up her torso. "What time is it?"

Kakashi glanced at the bedside clock reading 6:22 AM. "Early," he answered, leaning over her more and pressing his body over hers to capture her pink lips in an indolent kiss.

Sakura turned her head to better meet him, kissing Kakashi back in chaste, languid kisses; freezing only when Kakashi nipped on her lower lip, running his tongue along the seam for entrance. She planted her hands on his shoulders to push him up. "I need to brush my teeth," she chafed, slowly blinking emerald eyes and settling to close them again.

Kakashi pushed past her palms, kissing her again, "I don't care." He continued to kiss her, tracing small circles over her stomach with his fingertips as he did; feeling her skin breakout in goosebumps underneath his touch. From the top of her shoulder down to the rise of her hip, Kakashi kissed down Sakura's frame as Sakura stretched her body taunt; closing his mouth over her tightening calf and back up to the highest curve of her hip again. His hands roved in light caresses over her flesh, down her arms and up the expanse of her back to grip the nape of her neck in a soft squeeze; smiling against her skin when Sakura let out a content sigh, rolling her head against his hand.

Starting at the top of her shoulder again, Kakashi repeated the action; kissing his way down until his lips met the fabric of her panties. He gathered the edge of the fabric between his teeth, slowly peeling them down her body; over her hips, down her thighs and tossing them to the side once they were pulled past her feet. He kissed his way from the top of her feet to her thigh, grabbing her hips and turning her over on her back. Just as he adjusted her legs on either side of his body and started shouldering his way between them; Sakura squeezed her knees together, trapping Kakashi's head in between her kneecaps and holding him there.

"What are you doing?" Sakura inquired nervously, sitting up slightly to look down at him.

Kakashi shook his head, knocking her knees off of him and jerking her hips down so that her legs spread apart further and his face was only inches away from her core. "Just let me eat your pussy, Usagi," Kakashi rumbled, moving his hands to her innermost thighs and opening her up wider for his viewing pleasure. On the inside of her thighs he caught the gleam of her desire, coating her sex and overwhelming his senses. He ran the tip of his nose over the top of her middle, inhaling deeply and smirking from in between her legs. "Tell me, Sakura," he hummed, flicking the tip of his tongue across her swollen bud and reveling in the manner of Sakura's whole-body flinching. "Why are you so wet already?"

"Because you're fucking ho-"

Sakura's sentence was cut off with a soft wail when he closed his mouth over her core; tugging at her clit with his tongue and teeth in a manner that had her quivering in seconds. Her small hands immediately knotted themselves in his hair, her hips gyrating in slow circles against his wet tongue; twitching every time his tongue ran hard over her clit. He kept his hands wrapped around her moving hips, easily following the erratic motion of her body and tightening with excitement as her cries gradually grew louder. Running his tongue from the top of her cleft down, he traced her opening in small tight circles before thrusting his pliable muscle into her as far and as deep as he could. Sakura's body lurched and her legs around him tightened at the new action, her moans changing pitch when he pulled his tongue out slow and shoved it back in; velvet walls contracting around the muscle with every push. Sakura's hips changed motion, rocking up and down on his tongue in attempts to be filled deeper and harder. Above him, he could hear her breathing coming in quick pants; he pulled away, nibbling on the soft skin of her inner thigh.

"Do you like this, Sakura?" He licked along the seam of her hips and thigh. "Do you like getting tongue fucked by me, little bunny?"

"Yes," she breathed, rolling her head along the pillow.

"Do you want more?" He circled her clit with his tongue, sucking on it in rapid pulses so aggressive that Sakura's body began to tremor and twitch wildly, her leg coming up to push him away due to the rising stimulation. With his free hand, he folded her leg over to the side and continued his ministrations; humming around her clit and hearing Sakura moan deeply in response.

"K-Kakashi...I...I can't, it's too much," Sakura choked out in broken huffs, her hips thrusting up and coming down on two waiting long fingers. Her breath hitched, and she pulled her hips up again to slam them down on his hand while he continued to mercilessly suck on her swollen pearl.

"Oh yes you can, bunny," Kakashi replied darkly, removing his fingers and thrusting his tongue in her once again. His hand, slick with her own desire, ran up her cleft to settle on her clit; rubbing circles over it with increasing speed and pressure that sent Sakura over the edge.

She cried out, her hips jerking over his thrusting tongue. He continued to rub circles over her clit, each movement furthering her shuddering orgasm. He could feel her walls flex over his tongue, squeezing it at the same time more liquid poured onto his tongue and face; dripping out and all over the bed in front of him. Sakura's quaking slowed to shivers that came in waves, her hands loosening their vice-like grasp on his silver locks. He moved to sit up at the same time Sakura cracked open her eyes, widening when they took him in.

Sakura gasped, "Your face..."

"Ah, this old thing?" Kakashi chuckled, dragging his arm across his face to clean off her essence.

Her cheeks reddened, "I'm sorry."

Kakashi shook his head, climbing up her body to kiss her deeply. "Don't be sorry. You can cover me in your cum anytime you'd like. I'd happily bathe in it, Usagi. You taste so good and smell so sweet, go ahead and mark me as your territory so everyone knows. Now, take off your bra."

Sakura bit down on her lip, her pink cheeks growing a deeper red as she sat up slightly to remove her bra while Kakashi showered her neck and chest with open-mouthed kisses. His body throbbed, his blood pulsed, and his mind became one-track. Whatever reasoning he had left was tossed out the window, leaving him to be a man of only instinct at the moment. He wanted to do what his body was screaming at him to do, and what her body was practically begging him to do with how wet she is. He was surrounded by her, and he could still taste her on his tongue. He wanted nothing more than to be buried in her deep, making her cry out until she was unable to speak at all. He wanted to be connected to her body, to touch the innermost depths of her flesh and soul. He wanted to feel her contract around him, he wanted to suffocate and drown within her. He wanted to become addicted to her release, seeking it day in and day out. He'd chase it all over the world, if it meant he was the reason she was a victim to pleasure over and over again.

Tossing the bra to the side, Sakura laid back down; grabbing Kakashi's face with both of her hands to pull him in for a kiss. She pressed her tongue past his lips, exploring the inside of his mouth in attempts to dominate him. The hungrier the kiss became, the more Sakura's body did the talking for her. She began to grind her body against his from underneath him, rolling her hips up to meet the cloth-covered length of his shaft with her wet core. He groaned at the slow sensation of her body sliding down his length and he drug his cock hard along her nether lips; Sakura's breath catching in between their kiss. When the kiss broke for air, Kakashi lowered his mouth to pluck one pert nipple; flicking his tongue over the bud and tugging his teeth along it lightly. Sakura moaned softly, arching her back to expose more of her alabaster breasts to him in a fiery offering. His hand molded over the other breast, squeezing it softly and tweaking the swollen nipple in between his fingers. Sakura's head tossed to the side and the roll of her body became more needy with each pass, her hand coming down between their bodies to grip his pulsing length over the cloth of his boxers. Silver brows pulled down tight when she tugged up his member, and he found himself slowly rolling his hip forward to thrust himself through her hand.

Sakura moved her other hand to pluck at the boxers, "Off."

"If I take these off," he began, kissing the corner of her jaw and down her neck while still moving his thickness in tandem with the pulses of her hand, "I can't guarantee I'll be able to control myself this time, Usagi. I'll have no choice but to devour you and give you every inch of my cock."

"Who says I wanted you to control yourself," she ground out huskily, sinking her hand past the seam of his boxers to wrap it around the hot flesh of his member. Kakashi shuddered when she nibbled on his earlobe, whispering, "Make me take every inch of this." On cue, she squeezed and pulsed her hand, warranting a slight hiss from behind clenched teeth from Kakashi. "Give it to me, Kakashi. I can't wait anymore. I _need _you."

Kakashi broke; a man unglued, a man in a million pieces.

In one swift motion, he slid off of Sakura to take off his boxers; his manhood springing out from the restrain of the fabric proudly. He watched Sakura's eyes follow his hand as he gripped his member in slow pumps, dark eyes never tearing away from the rising flush of red on her face. Crawling over her, he smiled wolfishly, a bit of mischief gleaming in his eyes, "You know, I told myself we weren't going to do this until after this month was up. But it seems you have other plans, and know just what to say, don't you?"

"I'm tired of waiting," Sakura hummed, angling her chin so he could plant kisses down her neck and scrape the skin there with his teeth. "I've...I've never wanted anyone—I've never felt like I've needed anyone like I do with you. You've become all I can think about, it's crazy. I've never felt so...strongly...about someone this way."

"Mmmhh," Kakashi sighed, moving to suck on a distended nipple and plucking it away in a slow drag. "Are you saying you love me, Sakura?" He adjusted his body to where the length of his hardened muscle was lined against her core; sliding it up and down her wet petals in languid strokes.

Sakura let out a soft hum at the motion, angling her hips so the next time Kakashi drug his pulsing member through her folds the blunt head met her weeping entrance. Kakashi froze, onyx eyes bearing deeply into a shattering emerald set. He grabbed her left leg and placed it over his shoulder; angling her right leg out and bent at the knee, her ankle in his hand while his free hand gripped her hip. Time stilled, the air around them buzzed with electricity and Kakashi couldn't get enough of the sight before him. Her skin looked so soft, felt so soft; an alabaster goddess laid out before him. Pink hair was splayed around her head in careless waves, cheeks flush with blood, and she was nibbling on her lower lip. He watched her widened pupils observe him, he could see the deliberation going over in her head and he wanted to kiss her doubts away. She leaned up just enough to be eye level with Kakashi, her small hand coming out to rub between the space of his pectorals.

Her gaze never left his, plump rose petal lips parted as she murmured, "It feels that way."

Kakashi's heart damn near thudded out of his chest.

He understood this was a lot for Sakura, but he was a man proud. Months ago, she was pushing him away left and right, she refused to trust him, and she was often glaring at him. Now she was in his house, in his bed; splayed out and wanting him, trusting him, needing him—loving him.  
At least, it felt that way.

He leaned forward, capturing her honeyed lips in a passionate kiss; pressing against her and consuming her breathy sighs. Tongues wrestled and his body was screaming at him to take action; to wholly consume each and every part of her. His cock was achingly hard, twitching at the thought that rapture was only centimeters away. Sakura broke the kiss, her head lolling back as Kakashi's mouth lowered to her neck; sucking and biting like a man starved. His body moved subconsciously, hips rocking forward in a manner that caused the dripping head of his cock to press harder against her opening; very nearly sliding in slightly had Sakura not jumped, glancing down between where their bodies were waiting to connect and back up to Kakashi's starved gaze.

"Are you ready, bunny?" Kakashi inquired, very slightly angling his hips up so the head of his member bumped her opening again.

Sakura nodded, worrying her lip, "Yes...I'm just...I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous just because...you know..." She glanced down to his waiting length again, a fresh wave of blood rising to her cheeks.

"I'll take it slow until you say otherwise. You trust me, don't you?"

"I trust you," she whispered, her small hand coming up to cup his face.

"Good," he muttered, searching her gaze deeply before kissing her again, slowly angling his hip forward to press into her slightly.

Sakura's breath hitched hard and she pulled away from the kiss to lean back on the bed, waiting. Kakashi pressed in as slowly as he could, biting down on the inside of his cheek at the feeling of her hot body parting for him. The deeper he buried himself, Kakashi never removed his gaze from Sakura's face; contorting, pink brows pulled down tight, her lower lip drawn in as she bit down on it. Her small hand gripped the sheets tight, her green eyes dark with lust and humming softly under her breath when he was to the hilt.

Kakashi tossed his head back and let out a low moan.

His cock twitched and throbbed within the tight enclosure of her hot sex. Velvet walls fluttered around him as her body stretched and adjusted itself to his size. Her body was so tight; the grip of her wet flesh vice-like in the most pleasurable way imaginable. He tugged back slightly within her, pushing forward and loving the way her canal clenched around him in ripples when he hit the end. Kakashi began to push and pull his length in slow, shallow thrusts; Sakura's body fluttering around him, muscles squeezing to pull him in deeper. Sakura's breathing was coming in husky pants, her back a slight arch, and her eyes squeezed shut. Plush lips were barely parted, and he could hear the slight rasp of a groan slip out.

"You're so wet and tight, Usagi. Your sweet little pussy is practically strangling me. I can feel your body stretched so tight for me, so wet for me. How does it feel being filled up, little bunny? Does this feel good?" Kakashi drew his hips further back this time, to the point he was completely withdrawn before thrusting himself in harder this time; warranting him a small cry from Sakura on impact. He repeated the action again, thrusting even harder than the last.

"Fuck," Sakura hummed, her hips rocking to try and mimic the action.

"You like it hard, don't you, bunny. You want me to beat your sweet pussy up, don't you? Every time I do this," he pulled back again, ramming the thick head of his cock as carefully hard as he could inside her; this time Sakura cried out loudly, her head tossing back against the pillow and her round breasts bouncing with the motion. "You get more and more wet. Tell me, how hard do you want to get fucked, little bunny?"

Sakura thrust her hips, practically sucking his thick member back in. "Hard," she sighed, opening her eyes to lock lust-filled gazes with his. "Fuck me as hard as you possibly can."

Kakashi grinned wickedly, "You're filthy, bunny. I'll fuck your pussy as hard as you'd like; just don't be upset with me when you can't walk straight for a week."

Before Sakura could get another word out, the man began to drive his thick shaft into her slow and hard; each thrust harder than the last. Sakura began to writhe underneath him, her moans growing louder each time he relentlessly slammed into her. Kakashi intensely watched Sakura; the way her body rolled against his, the way her perky breasts bounced in a manner that consistently begged for his gaze. One small hand came up and Sakura cupped her own breast; tweaking the swollen nipple in between dainty fingers and tugging roughly each time Kakashi's cock drove into her. Her body was flexing around him, her pussy was the definition of divine; and like the devil he was, he was as deep as he could be in there to dominate it. Despite the urge to wildly buck against her, Kakashi kept the leisurely pace, only increasing the pressure each time the blunt head of his cock met her walls. Just as Kakashi was about to reach out to grab a breast, he witnessed Sakura's hand sneak down her torso, daring to go lower and then jut back up.

He knew exactly what she needed.  
And he was going to watch her take herself there.

"Usagi," Kakashi growled, turning his head to kiss the calf resting on his shoulder. "Touch yourself."

Eyes that were squeezed shut opened, "What?"

Kakashi paused, removing her leg from his shoulder and spreading her legs wide on either side, bent at the knees. He grabbed her hips with both hands and angled her up, "I want to watch you touch yourself while my cock drives in and out of you. This is a team effort, bunny. I want to see you take yourself there."

Slowly, her hand snaked down her torso to in-between where their bodies were connected. Not breaking eye contact, she began to rub small circles over her swollen clit; moaning loudly and shuddering when Kakashi rocked into her at a consistent pace. Gripping her hips, he paused to readjust his stance; wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling up the lower half of her body in a manner that had her arched back, with her head tossed back on the bed.

"Tell me when you feel it, bunny," Kakashi asserted. "And don't stop touching yourself."

Sakura hummed in response, her hips circling in his hands and around his cock; a feat that would have sent him over the edge had the man not had a goal in mind. Earnestly, he began to thrust himself into her, each time adjusting her hips and finding himself a new angle. He listened carefully to Sakura's cries, patiently waiting for the one he knew he was looking for. It was only when he pulled her closer and pushed himself as deep into her as he could go and harshly thrust within that he heard it; he witnessed it. A husky, throaty groan ripped itself from the center of Sakura's chest and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. While one of her hands switched between plucking at pink nipples, the other continued to run itself over her clit; the pace of her action more rapid now. Kakashi chuckled deep within, feeling her body beginning to contract around him. The man was thrusting deep and hard inside her; barely pulling out and maintaining his depth and roughness that had the entire bed quaking along with Sakura.

The legs around him began to shake, her body was shuddering and her raspy cries became music to his ears. Her sex enveloped him fully; tight satin resistance that tested his control. The image of her body flexed out before him, her back so arched that her head was the only thing touching the bed; it was erotic. He pumped into her aggressively, noting the way her canal had started to flutter at a faster rate.

As if on cue, Sakura spoke, "Kakashi..."

Sakura's moaning increased an octave, her hips thrashing to desperately to reach release; hand working the swollen nub between her legs. Her muscles began to tighten, and just as she was about to teeter over the edge Kakashi pulled out completely; laying her body down on the bed and moving back some.

Sakura's head shot up, her expression a mixture of stress and agitation, "What are you-"

"Hands and knees," Kakashi commanded darkly. "I want to see your tight ass."

As Sakura began to move to flip herself over, Kakashi witnessed the amount of liquid desire that had covered the inside of her legs, wet the bed, and soaked his raging member. Once she was in position, green eyes glanced over her shoulder at Kakashi; curious, lustful, and slightly nervous. Kakashi had a full view of her toned globes, her dripping pussy, and her toned legs. Big hands grabbed either cheek, spreading them apart and his wet tongue dipping deep in-between the mounds of flesh; gliding down from her second hole to swirl around her pink pearl. Sakura cried out in shock, her body quaking and her toes curling. Satisfied, Kakashi straightened; planting kisses up her spine to the nape of her neck, leaning over her to whisper in her ear.

"I'm not going to slow down this time, okay little bunny?" At the end of his sentence, he landed a smack on her behind; warranting a sharp keen from Sakura. She glanced back, watching the way Kakashi's hand smoothed itself over the reddening flesh. He gripped the cheek tight, pulling it apart and landing another slap. She jutted forward some, crying out in shock again but this time she pressed her ass back; as if asking for more. Kakashi ran his hand over the other cheek, humming in appreciation and grinning to himself. "Do you see this ass, bunny? This hot piece of ass right here," he landed another smack. "This is my ass—do you understand? Do you see this pussy, Usagi?" His free hand lowered to cup her slicked petals, middle finger pressing against her clit and rubbing it. "This is my pussy—it's mine to eat up, to devour, and to wreck. Do you understand? Your body was made for mine. I love every inch of your skin, Sakura. I love the way you sound when I'm so deep in you I've lost myself. Your tight pussy hugs my cock so tightly, it's embracing me and it's mine. Do you understand that?"

Sakura's eyes were wide, however it wasn't a look of shock; she appeared smitten with his words. She rolled her head around before meeting Kakashi's intense gaze with her own smoldering sight, "It's yours as long as you treat it right."

"Usagi," Kakashi grinned crookedly, dark eyes glittering impishly. "I'll treat it so good that it'll quiver every time you think about me."

In one fluid motion, Kakashi thrust himself into her; deep and hard, pulling back and fucking her rapidly. Big hands wrapped themselves around her hips while Sakura tossed herself back in motion with Kakashi's body. With each inward thrust, she cried out loudly; full breasts swaying with the wave of their bodies. He watched the way her hands balled into fists, how her toes curled tightly and the arch in her back became deeper. She pressed back harder, trying to take him in as deep as she could and moaning loudly at the new sensation. Kakashi's hand came out to fist itself in pink locks, angling her head back so her neck was exposed. He pulled her back as far as she could go, the dip in her back almost dangerous. Her body was angled back so she was almost squatting back on him, her body lurching forward when he thrust into her hard; her breath catching and her pussy clenching around him when he did it. Keeping one hand fisted in her hair, the other reached around to palm the front of her sex; with each thrust her hips thrusted up with him causing her clit to roll itself against his calloused palm. He was wrapped around her, within her, embracing her, and holding her hostage to the pleasure. Each forward motion caused her to shudder and once again he could feel her body tightening around him excitedly. He could hear her rapid breathing, he could feel the eagerness in her body as she wantonly chased release.

He knew she wanted to come. He could feel it all around him, over him, beside him, and in front of him.  
Regardless, he wasn't going to give it to her.  
Not yet.

The devil he was, once again he let her get as close as possible; the keening in her voice increasing and her entire body quaking in anticipation. At the first tight tale-tell clench of her body, once again he removed himself from her; releasing her hair and withdrawing himself, dipping his head and biting her ass cheek. Sakura yelped, shooting up and turning to look at him.

Jesus-fucking-Christ she was beautiful.

Her hair was a disarray around her, falling over her shoulder while small wisps surrounded her face. Her pupils were as dilated as they could possibly be, emerald eyes almost a deep forest green from lust. Her face was flushed, her breasts were perked up and nipples distended for attention. Her expression was almost distraught now, and he could see the sensation of impending orgasm fading away. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kakashi had other plans. He grabbed her waist and flipped her, crawling over her body and taking a breast into the hot cavern of his mouth; sucking hard. Sakura cried out, arching her breasts forward into his face and her arm coming around his back. He began to lavish his affections on her breasts, appreciating the supple curve of them. With each hard suck, lick, and pluck Sakura's body twitched and tremored. He was torturing her in the most delightful way possible, but he knew she was at her breaking point. It was clear in the way she almost desperately ground her hot body against his, her slick pussy grinding up in attempts to take his cock back in. Kakashi pulled back, plucking a breast out of his mouth and nibbling on her neck.

"You're breasts are so perfect, Usagi. They're so soft, just begging me to eat them up. Is that what you want, little bunny? Do you want me to eat you up?"

Sakura tossed her head back and forth, "I can't take it anymore, I need to feel you again. I can't take being teased anymore."

Kakashi chuckled, flicking a nipple with his tongue and grinning when she tremored, "I'm not simply teasing you, bunny. I'm building you up, that way when you come you'll explode into a million little pieces. You'll come so hard your soul will leave your body, trust me. Now here," he slid off of her, grabbing her hand and pulling her off of the bed.

Kakashi walked around to the foot of the bed, sitting down on the edge and gazing up at Sakura. She looked like a fucking goddess; her entire body swollen with need. Liquid desire had run down the insides of her thighs, the smell had filled the room and completely consumed him. Quirking a silver eyebrow, he pat his lap with one hand while the other slowly pumped his erect length just as slick. Sakrua's eyes flicked down between his face and his cock, biting down on her lip and smoothing her palms down her thighs.

"What do you want me to do?" She muttered, stepping in to where her breasts were eye level with Kakashi.

Kakashi ran his hands up her sides, feeling the goosebumps there and kissing her hotly. "I want to show you something. Turn around."

With one last blink, Sakura turned around; the globe of her behind still glowing red from when he slapped it. Kakashi grabbed her waist and pulled her back towards him, spreading his legs apart and adjusting himself on the edge of the bed. With ease he lifted her into his lap, hooking her legs on the outside of his so he had control of how open he wanted her; and he had her spread open wide. Slowly, he sank her down onto his pulsing cock, grunting deep at the sensation of her slick heat consuming him. Once fully sheathed, he wrapped his hands around the front of her torso; one hand splayed flat across her stomach and the other trailing a faint line on her inner thigh. Sakura groaned deeply, leaning her back against his chest and making small circles with her hips; causing his thick member to circle within her walls. In this position, he was impaled all the way within her; flesh filling flesh, flesh hugging flesh in a manner so tight it should have been illegal.

Kakashi scrapped his teeth on her earlobe, murmuring wolfishly, "Is this deep enough, little bunny? Do I have your pussy filled all the way up?"

Sakura tilted her hips up, jerking them down hard and causing both of them to moan sincerely. "God, yes," she rasped, repeating the action several times; slamming her pussy down harder and harder.

Kakashi kissed her neck, bit down and sucked, "How does this feel, Usagi? Do you like this, riding my cock?"

"More than you know," she hummed, gyrating her hips and giving out a low moan. The round globes of her behind ground hard into his lap, her back rolled in waves against his chest, and her small hands came up to wrap around the back of his neck; breasts jutted out proudly.

"Oh, I think I know, bunny," Kakashi simpered, grabbing her hips and thrusting up within her fast and hard. Sakura's hold on him tightened as he mercilessly pounded into her, her cries were deeper and longer this time, telling him that this _really _felt good to Sakura. With each time he thrust up into her, she slammed her core down on him hotly; wailing with uninhibited cries each time the ends of their bodies met. The flesh of their skin was hot, covered in a fine sheen of sweat and their labored breathing and moans filled the air. He could feel his cock becoming even more engorged, with the way she was throwing her pussy down on him. Each thrust was sweeter than the last, and the man knew it was only a matter of time before he burst. He reached around the front of her body, easily finding her clit and applying pressure to it in attenuative rubs.

"Fuck," Sakura panted, her hips now wildly ramming down onto him. "Please just let me come, please just give it to me."

Kakashi scrapped his teeth along her neck, "I'll give it to you, bunny. All you have to do is tell me how good this feels. Tell me how much you want it, tell me how much you need it. Your pussy is eating me up, you're soaking wet, and I can tell you're close. I'll let you have it, Usagi—just tell me what I want to hear." He continued to rub on her swollen clit in considerate circles, easily following the wild wave of her body and riding it out with her. He had one hand around the front of her chest, holding her body tight against his chest. He began to tap on her clit with each inward thrust, applying more and more pressure each time.

Sakura groaned, her head lolling to the side and her lips parted, "Fffuuuccckkk..."

"Tell me, bunny—and it's all yours."

Sakura threw her hips down again, "I've never felt this way...It feels so good, you make me feel so good...You..." She tossed her head, panting. "You're filling up every part of me and touching parts of me I never knew existed...I've never wanted to be this connected to someone like I am with you right now...No one's ever touched me this way, made me feel this way—made me feel so good."

Kakashi immediately noticed the small tear that slipped out, sliding it's way down her flushed face. He kissed it away, doubling his efforts on his ministrations and loving the way Sakura screamed. "What are you saying, Usagi?"

She pulled her hips up and jerked down, crying out and shuddering, "I'm saying...I'm saying..." Her breathing was aggressive now, her movements erratic and wild. Kakashi felt the velvet walls of her body ripple around his pulsing member. The woman was practically screaming now, fucking him with reckless abandon and humming loudly in pleasure.

"Say it, little bunny," Kakashi asserted bearishly. "Say it and then come all over my cock. I want to feel you when you come, I want to feel your pussy choking the life out of me. Say it, whatever you're trying to say."

Sakura panted, eyes squeezed shut and pink brows drawn down, "I'm saying that...I love you..."

With that, Kakashi thrust into her as hard and as fast as he could; grabbing her clit and pushing and pinching it.

In an instant, Sakura snapped.

Her entire body became taunt, muscles tightening to the point it looked painful and her frame tremoring so wildly he had to hold her close to keep her from falling off. Sakura screamed loudly, her head lolled back on his shoulder and her hands fisting themselves in his hair on the back of his head. Her hips bucked wildly on him, the walls of her canal clenching and fluttering so tight that he soon followed. He gripped her hips, pumping into her roughly and moaning deeply as light flashed across his vision and blinded his world. He could feel her pussy milking him, draining him, and pulling him in. He continued to pump, the movements serving to draw out Sakura's shattering orgasm. One last time he thrusted up, pinching her clit again and causing her body to tighten and come once more; shaking and quivering, screaming and thrashing, twitching and throbbing.

It was the most beautiful sensation he'd ever felt.  
The most beautiful thing he had ever been witness to.  
And it was because of him.

Once Sakura's cries died down, she was reduced to shivers and small trembles; her limbs heavy and limp, blood flushing itself all across her skin. Grabbing her, Kakashi withdrew himself from inside her and pulled their bodies up on the bed; Kakashi sitting up against the headboard and Sakura laid on top of him, breathing heavily. Slowly, she raised her head to look up at him, eyes glittering with child-like wonder and something else. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly, sweetly. He poured every ounce of emotion into the kiss, cupping her face gently and running his hand down her bare back. She pulled away, green eyes searching his earnestly.

Kakashi flashed a lopsided smile at her, planting small kisses on her swollen lips before pulling back only centimeters to murmur, "I love you, too."


	21. Impatient

It never took this long.

As long as he's been in this business, as often as he's made it his own personal goal to capture a specific woman; it's never taken this long, _ever. _

What the fuck is going on?

He's dispatched numerous men. He's had his men scout all of Tokyo, to no avail. From the red-light district to the high-end neighborhoods where business men snorted coked and signed deals. To make matters worse, none of his men could figure out the bitch's name. All they could go off of was some willowed looking bitch with pink hair and a pink rhombus in the middle of her huge fucking forehead.

Who the fuck was this little cunt?  
Just who the fuck does she think she is?

He decided that for each day that passed that she wasn't in his grasp, was a day he was going to fuck her mercilessly. He imagined what she would look like, on her hands and knees begging for him to stop. He imagined what it would feel like with those long pink locks twisted in his fist, yanking her head back so hard he hopes her fucking neck snaps. He imagined the way she'd sound crying, screaming, and wailing for mercy. She'd beg and beg and beg; and when she was good and sore, she'd beg again. He decided he'd keep her hostage, trapped inside his home. He'd shackle her, he'd put a shock collar on her and train her to stay within the bounds of the house.

He had so many things planned for her, he was almost giddy.

The fucking problem was, no one knows where the fuck she's at and nobody knows where to find her.

A knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. He swiveled in his chair, "Enter."

Three men came in; Riichi the first to shoulder his way through the door frame, Reiji right behind him, and Hisato waddling his way behind. He watched as they towed the line in front of his desk, Hisato glancing nervously around the room. Sota wrinkled his nose at the man. He was always so sweaty around Sota, and Sota hated that he could practically smell the man's nerves. If he wasn't so good at handling the cash flow and clients, he would have offed the guy months ago.

Sota leaned back in his chair, fingers templed, "Well? Do you fuckers have something to say to me?"

Riichi tilted his chin up, beady eyes narrowing, "We've got good news and bad news, boss."

Sota scoffed, "Of course you do...Well, give it to me straight. What's the bad news?"

Riichi flicked his gaze to Hisato, who was thumbing his way through papers in his hands, "Ask him."

Sota turned his attention to Hisato, waiting.

Hisato stammered, "Uh- ah, well we've run into an issue w-with one of our biggest c-clients."

"Who?" Sota snapped, leaning forward and propping his elbows on the desk.

Hisato flinched at the influx of Sota's tone, "Uh- well it's uh...It's..."

Sota slammed his hand down on the desk loudly, furrowing thin eyebrows, "Just spit it out you fuckin' pig!"

"We lost Wantanabe!" Hisato spluttered, practically shuddering where he stood.

"How?!" Sota barked, standing up and leaning over on the palms of his hands. "Tell me how the _fuck _you managed to lose one of our biggest paying clients?"

"Well, I-I didn't do anything personally, S-Sota, s-sir. Wa-"

"Then what the fuck happened, hmmm? What could have possibly happened that we now are out billions of dollars?"

Hisato wiped the sweat off of his wrinkled forehead, his breath coming in wheezing pants, "Th-they got busted, s-sir."

Sota paused, rearing back and shaking his head, "They got what? Busted? As in the government got ahold of them?"

Hisato shook his head anxiously, "W-well, it was actually the Intelligence Agency paired with the American FBI that's been on our case. Someone managed to infiltrate Wantanabe's home base and get all the information to bust them. They captured everyone, no one managed to escape."

Sota let out a groan, grabbing the pencil holder that was on his desk and throwing it against the wall, "God-fucking-dammit!" He whirled, pointing a thin finger at Hisato, "You know what this means, right? They're going to milk Wantanabe for information, and he's going to talk. That man cares more about self-preservation than worrying about the fucking Yakuza being on his tail. Is there any way we can take him out?"

Reiji shook his head solemnly, "Unfortunately, no. We tried to track him, but there's not a moment that he's ever alone. These agents know what they're doing, sir. We believe it's the same agency that's been managing to snag our men, too."

"Bullshit," Sota grunted, plopping back down in his chair. "This is fucking bullshit. Now, not only are we out a top buyer, but we are low on men."

"With all due respect, sir," Riichi started. "Couldn't we go to Kazuo for more m-"

Sota jutted a hand up to silence Riichi, "No. We cannot. Kazuo already wants my head on a platter, but he spared us because we were pulling in big money with big name clients. When he catch winds about Wantanabe, if he already hasn't, there will be repercussions. Hisato, it's your job to find a client to replace Wantanabe, ASAP—before Kazuo gets ahold of us. If we've got someone to replace Wantanabe, then maybe Kazuo won't mind."

Hisato shook his head, "Sir, there's no possible way I can find a client of that financial status in a short amount of time—it takes months to set deals with clients."

Sota glared daggers at Hisato, "I don't give a fuck how long it usually takes. I'm telling you that if you don't find a fucking replacement within the next several days I'll personally see to it that you're dick is cut clean off. Got it?"

Hisato lowered his head, "Understood."

Sota scoffed, shaking his head and flicking dark eyes over to Riichi, "As you know, we are not under Kazuo's good graces right now. That old hack has been trying to find ways to off us and our chapter—we aren't going to let that fucker do it."

Riichi chuckled, "No offense, boss—but he's the head of the _Yakuza._ He's THE crime lord. You understand that once he sets his mind to something, nothing can change it. You'd be better off begging for a second chance like you did last time."

Sota stared, but said nothing. Of the three men Sota often dealt with, Riichi was really the only one he allowed to talk to him like that. Had Hisato dared to speak in that manner, or even Reiji—he'd slap the shit out of them, and then some. Unfortuantely, the big son of a bitch was right.

Kazuo is ready to shut him down, and the only way a chapter gets shut down is everyone working in it gets killed; disposed of like trash.  
Sota refused to be fucking garbage. He was a gift to those fucking worms, they just didn't realize it yet.

"Be that as it may," Sota countered. "As soon as Hisato here finds a replacement, Kazuo will see that we are capable of cleaning up our own mess and decide we are worth keeping. We've got to prove to that wrinkly asshole that we can hold our own and that we aren't a liability to the Yakuza."

"Sota, I'm going to be the first to tell you that you have been sloppy. You've had to hide out several times because of the Intelligence Agency. You've drawn more attention to the Yak-"

"Ah," Sota held up his palm again. "I don't want to fucking hear it. If I want to get lectured, I'll go talk to my fucking mother. What's the good news?"

Riichi shook his head and adjusted his shoulders, but continued, "We've got information on Pinky."

Sota started.

Riichi snagged a paper from Hisato, long arm stretching out to hand it to Sota, "We did some digging. I don't know why we didn't think to talk to the people at the complex she lived at, maybe because we the Agency has been heavy on our asses- I don't know. But, we found out that she isn't from here. She's an American."

Sota's head snapped up from the paper in his hands, "American? Did her whole family move here?"

Riichi grinned wickedly, "No, apparently not, sir. She's by herself, as far as we know."

"So no one would come looking for her halfway across the globe..." Sota mused, scraping his jaw with his nails. "Her whereabouts?"

Riichi shrugged huge shoulders, "No location yet, but we got a name."

"Name?" Sota piqued, slapping the paper down and leaning forward. "What's the bitch's name?"

A slow, wolfish smile spread across Riichi's face, small eyes glittering darkly as he spoke.

"Haruno Sakura."


	22. Mine

**Hey there, y'all! Guess whose back—back again! Kira's back, back again! I just wanted y'all to know I am feeling 1000% better, I'm back at home, and sickness can EAT SHIT. I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for y'all's understanding and patience with me. I know how frustrating it must be wanting more content and having to wait as long as y'all did. Chapters will go back to their regular length, if not longer. This one is short, but oh is it lemony. We will be back on our regular schedule, so again—thank you thank you, thank you. I love y'all. As always, reviews help me feel confident when I'm in the shower dancing to "Toxic" by Britney S.**

"I love you, too."

Sakura blinked.

Somewhere, deep within her head, the old Sakura threatened to make her way through. She began to scream there's no real way they could love each other, not so soon. She began to tick off the ways Kakashi was trying to use her, and simply use her alone. She began to tug at Sakura's heart, to drag her behind the thick wall she used to protect herself with.

The Sakura now gave no fucks.

The Sakura now knew what she was feeling; it was undeniable, set in her bones and swimming in her depths. As onyx eyes practically smiled at her, she knew without a single doubt she was falling for this man. While the old parts of her wanted to pull that wall back up, here in this moment she wanted to be just as raw and as magnetic as Kakashi is. She wanted to love as freely as he seemed to be, she wanted to be on his level; worthy of his love.

Large hands ran themselves up and down the length of her spine lethargically, and for several minutes the pair simply sat in silence; soaking in that after-really-unbelievably-great-sex glow. Sakura couldn't believe that she actually had sex with him; it was something she settled to simply imagining, due to fear of letting him in. She had always secretly wondered what Kakashi was like in bed, and now she's had a taste of what it is. A man unglued doesn't even compare to how unhinged he became; him, the calm, collected, unbothered man that he is becomes some sex god in an instant. She had never been so turned on in her life, she had never come so hard that she felt her soul quite literally leave her body. His actions spoke louder than his words, and his words only served as back up.

'_This is my pussy—it's mine to eat up, to devour, and to wreck. _

She'd never been with a man so possessive in her entire life. She remembers the remarks the others from the team about him being possessive, but she never put much stock into it. That was, until she was face to face with it; smacking her ass and gripping her pussy like his life depended on it. Sakura couldn't deny how unbelievably hot it was to hear him talk in that manner, not to mention her willingly letting him take ownership was a breakthrough she thought would never see the light of day. She found herself wanting to give him even more of what she had to offer. She wanted him to stake his claim over her entire body; head to toe, not one inch wasn't his.

Sakura didn't know where this giving woman came from, but Kakashi drew her out of him.

Kakashi chuckled from underneath her, practically buzzing with satisfaction. She felt his big hand come to cup the nape of her neck, squeezing softly before drawing it down to tilt her chin up. Artful eyes searched hers, a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.

"What's so funny?" Sakura inquired, moving her head down to kiss the heel of his hand.

Kakashi shrugged, lowering his hand to her collar bone to trace it with his fingertip, "Not funny, I guess you could say I'm shell shocked."

"_You're _shell shocked? I just had the best sex of my life—you grabbed my pussy and staked claim on it like some madman," Sakura giggled, pulling herself up the length of his naked body to better meet his gaze.

"Ah, yes—that," Kakashi chortled, nodding his head knowingly. "I'm not going to apologize for any of that—it's just who I am."

"Oh no," Sakura grinned, shaking her head back and forth. "You don't need to apologize, I actually...really like it..."

"I noticed," he simpered, fixing an arm behind his head and winking devilishly at her.

"So, what has you shell shocked?" Sakura pressed, her curiosity burning.

"I just think it's sort of crazy that you're naked in bed with me, that's all. I worked so hard for your heart, and I got that plus your body in one go. I feel honored, if we're being honest. I've never seen you so raw and real, Sakura. It was the most beautiful experience. Your body moved in tandem with mine, your cries were on the same wavelength as mine; your words were my words. You gave yourself to me in a way that I sort of feel you've never given anyone—and that makes me feel like a man accomplished. I only hope that I can continue to see those raw parts of you, Usagi."

Sakura's heart nearly burst out of her chest. She'd never met someone as open and as honest as Kakashi; and in the same way she granted him a part of herself that—he's right, she'd never given anybody—he was giving her a part of himself. She doesn't know when the flip switched for her; if it was sudden, or accumulated—but it was switched. She loved the thought of coffee with him in the morning, of going on dates, to walking the dogs. She was making her own way and she wanted him to be a part of him. What she had with Kakashi surmounted what she ever had with Sasuke, and she had an inkling that it would only get better. Kakashi was a man of his word, she knew that to be true. If he promised her happiness, she believed it.

"It is crazy," Sakura grinned, twining her dainty fingers with his. "And I would be more than glad to let you see any side of me you want—as long as you don't hurt me."

Kakashi's brow furrowed in earnest, the hand behind his head coming out to hold the side of her face. He sat up more, leaned in and kissed her fully; tenderly and sweetly. Sakura melted into the kiss, the gesture so tender that it nearly brought her to tears. She kissed him back just as gently at first, her mouth working to consume his while tongues darted out to dance with each other. Eagerly her hands shot out to grasp either side of his face, moving to sit on her knees and leaning into him. Kakashi hummed deeply, his left hand splaying across her lower back and pulling her closer. Even after the mind boggling sex she just had, her skin jumped at his touch; a familiar heat spreading across her skin in a flush of pink. Kakashi broke the kiss to turn and look at the time while Sakura kissed down his neck, nipping the skin there and smiling when she felt him leap slightly at the action. Hands ran up and down her back while she sucked at the smooth skin over his neck, big palms lowering to grasp handfuls of her behind and squeeze. To her surprise, she noticed the man underneath her was getting worked up; a feat she secretly doubted she could do being how good he was in bed. When her hand moved down his chest she could feel the goosebumps there. She could hear his breathing becoming husky, she could feel eager hands running across her skin.

Sakura moved to readjust herself at the same time Kakashi shot straight up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and quickly moving to scoop her up in his arms. Sakura yelped, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking at him with an incredulous expression.

"Uh- where are you taking me?" Sakura piqued, secretly loving how strong his arms felt holding her.

"Uh- isn't it obvious?" He chuckled in an octave higher in attempts to mimic her.

Sakura glanced around, realizing he had taken her to the large restroom. Carefully he set her down, kissing her temple quickly before opening the shower door and turning silver knobs. The sound of running water filled the room, and soon enough steam started to rise from the increasing heat of the water. Kakashi stepped in the shower, turning halfway to wave Sakura in.

"Don't be chicken," he teased, wiggling a finger at her.

"Who are you callin' chicken?" Sakura scowled playfully, almost giddy as she made her way into the large shower with one of the sexiest men she'd ever seen.

Honestly, she wasn't even being remotely dramatic.

Watching him, the spray of the shower only seemed to compliment his muscled body. Droplets pattered over his shoulders, trailing down the hardened length of his torso and sliding down tree-trunk legs. Her mouth practically watered at the sight of him, the fire inside her began to spark and blaze even though not minutes ago he was so deep in her that she lost where he ended and she began.

She wanted it again. Sakura reached out and tapped his shoulder, pulling him around to face her.

Waiting for her was the wolfish, crooked smile Kakashi bore—though his eyes were squinted shut due to the shampoo he lobbed in his silver hair. She watched as he washed the soap out, shaking his head and causing water to fling out of his hair. Once all the soap was gone, he stepped towards Sakura; hand coming up to trace the scars along her neck from the attack. The smile that was there grimaced, and he became serious in an instant.

"You know I'll never hurt you, right Sakura?" He asserted, leaning down to kiss the scar that ran up her neck. "I'll only ever protect you. You understand that, right?" He ran his lips down the scar, dragging them across the scar that sat at the base of her neck.

"I know," Sakura muttered, desire pulling hard between her legs when hot wet hands came to wrap around her and pull her naked body hard against his.

Pressing between them was proof of his desire, too.

"You know I always protect what's mine, don't you Usagi?" Kakashi muttered darkly, reaching down in between her legs to cup her hot sex in one languid stroke.

"I do know," Sakura huffed, losing her focus as he lavished kisses across her chest and captured a distended nipple in his mouth.

He plucked her nipple from his mouth, grinning when she openly shuddered, "Are you mine, Sakura?"

"Am I?" Sakura positioned, leaning more into his touch and moaning softly when his thumb found her swollen clit.

"Are you?" He challenged back with a wicked grin, taking the other nipple in his mouth and tugging on it hard enough for her to cry out; her insides clenching, her body begging for more.

"Are you asking me to be yours?" Sakura panted, her lead lolling back and eyes closing due to the pleasure he was causing her.

He pulled away, "I am. Are you mine, Sakura? Will you be mine?"

"Will you take care of me?" Sakura hummed, shivering under his touch.

"I'll take care of every inch of you, Usagi." His words dripped with double meaning. "I'll never hurt you. I'll protect you, and honor you, and treasure you."

"Then yes."

Kakashi straightened, hands coming to cup her face, dark eyes narrowed, "Say it. Tell me that you're mine."

Sakura worried her lip briefly before plump lips parted and the words left her mouth, "I'm all yours, Kakashi."

Hungry lips came crashing onto hers, hands roving over her flesh and gripping her skin. His hands folded over her hips and he lifted her; pressing her back against the wall while her legs circled his hips and the thick head of his member touched her core.

"Are you sure we should be doing this position in the shower," Sakura questioned, glancing around almost nervously. "You might slip."

"Step one of being with me," Kakashi began, kissing her quickly and smiling. "Trust me."

With that, he thrust up into her; causing her to cry out at the same time a low growl broke out from his chest. Eagerly his hips began to rock into her ferociously, each thrust earning a moan from Sakura that became his driving force. Sakura's tight body sucked him back in time and time again, and she began to feel lightheaded due to the surmounting pleasure she was experiencing. Her body was stretched tight around him, his thick member filled her to the brim, and he was beating her up in the most delightful way possible. Kakashi paused to adjust the angle of his hips and Sakura's body; dragging his cock out slow and jamming it back in so hard her body leapt with his. The feeling of her clit dragging up and down with each thrust sent electricity from her sex to all over her body; feeling weightless and heavy at the same time. Each time the drove his hips up, she drove hers down as hard as she possibly could—taking in as much of him as her body would allow.

Steam filled the room, making the air thick and tangible around their thrashing bodies. Sakura's cries grew louder and hungrier; a silent plea for more of him. Noting the cue, easily the man obliged; driving into her hard and fast, humming bearishly in his throat while black eyes remained glued to Sakura's face. She kept her gaze locked with his; emerald eyes never breaking away from onyx ones, no matter how much they wanted to close or how loud she became—she remained locked with him, their bodies moving in tandem with each other. The harder Kakashi thrust, the faster he moved; the more her insides began to clench around him and her sensitive clit drug up and down rapidly against his body. Water pelted over them, around them; slick flesh dragging across slick flesh. She could feel herself getting close again, she could feel something winding so tight within her that she was sure she was going to explode any minute.

Sakura opened her mouth to pant out, "Ka...kash...shi...I think..."

Without another word he began to move within her in a manner she'd never experienced before; hitting a spot she didn't even know she had. Her cries became wails as she clung onto the man for dear life, wonton in the way her body crashed against his. Within a manner of several minutes she was over the edge; falling and crying out so loud that her already hoarse voice became more gravvely. She hung onto the thrusting man, feeling her canal clench around him in tight pulsing waves as electricity tingled throughout ever nerve ending in her being. Her head tossed back and she hummed with each stroke, her head dizzy as the orgasm wore off. It was only when Kakashi began to buck underneath her that she realized he came soon after her, grunting loudly and gripping her flesh as tight as he possibly could.

The water had started to get cold at this point, so Kakashi set Sakura down; pulling his thick member out of her and leaning down to kiss her passionately—wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight to his body.

Sakura glanced up, "That was..."

"Great," Kakashi grinned impishly, eyes glittering. "I know. No need to thank me."

Sakura scoffed and slapped his chest lightly, squeaking when he pinched her ass and kissed her again.

"I could get used to this," Sakura noted out loud, following him out of the shower after he turned it off.

Kakashi tossed a towel at Sakura who caught it, "I hope you never do."

"What do you mean?" Sakura wrapped the towel around herself tightly, tucking the end against her chest and looking up to meet his gaze.

"I mean, I hope every time is like the first time. I hope you never lose your wonder and awe, and all that," he leaned down and kissed her. "Step two of being with me: I'm pretty spontaneous and intense, so you've got to keep up."

Sakura grinned, "I can handle that."

"Oh," Kakashi winked. "I know you can, baby."


	23. Eye of the Storm

Jesus-fucking-Christ.  
He was the happiest man in the world right now.

There once was a time where he'd fantasize about pressing Sakura against the wall and making love to her; and now, he had just done it. There was once a time he could only imagine how she felt coming all over him; and it happened multiple times. Not only did she give him her body, she warranted him a full and clear glimpse of her soul; and goddamn it all, it was beautiful. The parts of her she kept so protected, he saw in a single sitting; and if he wasn't hooked on her before, he certainly is now. He was linked to her, now. She was fit for him, he was fit for her; and he hoped it stayed that way for as long as he had breath in his lungs.

Fucking Christ, he really was tacky.

While Sakura got dressed in the bedroom, Kakashi had walked out to greet Lee and Choji, who had both been waiting for Kakashi to answer the front door for twenty minutes.

"What took you so long?" Choji grunted, carrying in bags of food to set them down on the kitchen island.

"Nothing in particular," Kakashi shrugged, rummaging through a bag and plucking up a red apple to bite into. "We just didn't hear you," he replied with a huge apple chunk in his mouth.

"Mh," Choji grumbled, plucking out meat and veggies from the bag. "You keep everyone waiting all the time."

"Ah!" Kakashi exclaimed, hand splayed flat across his chest. "How _dare_ you, sir! I am a punctual man, full of-"

"Save it," Choji decapitated with a quick wave of his hand. "The rest of the team is waiting for you at the club for the job today. You better not keep them waiting."

"I would _never," _Kakashi grinned, slapping Choji on the shoulder and giving it a good squeeze. "Choji, my man—have you been working out?"

Choji glared over his shoulder at Kakashi, "Kiss ass."

Kakashi laughed loudly, planting a fat wet kiss on Choji's swirled cheek before turning his attention to Lee, who was stretching in the living room. "Lee, I hope you know Sakura still isn't up to training."

Lee shook his head, glancing at Kakashi skeptically, "Are you sure about that?"

Silver brows quirked down, "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Lee plucked his shoulders, thin lower lip jutting out in a feckless grimace, "You're just acting funny, that's all."

"Eh?" Kakashi started, looking over at Choji for back up and then back at Lee. "Me?"

Round eyes narrowed, "Don't play dumb, Kakashi. You're pretty chipper but you're acting way happier than usual. You're acting like you got—Oh, good morning, Sakura." Lee bowed his head quickly, cheeks reddening slightly and glaring under his dark hair at Kakashi.

Kakashi turned, grinning stupidly at Sakura as she stepped out of the hall and into the kitchen. She was wearing what looked like an old Pokemon T-shirt and dark blue skinny jeans that hugged curves he just had his mouth all over. Emerald eyes waited as he scanned her physique, her expression wearing the same stupid grin he bore.

"Why, Sakura," Kakashi hummed, meandering over to her to kiss her temple. "You look stunning today, as usual."

"Oh, please," Sakura giggled, still glowing that after-sex glow women get after a good romp. She made her way around Kakashi to hug Choji.

"I wouldn't touch him if I were you," Kakashi simpered. "He's grumpy today."

"I'm not grumpy," Choji called over his shoulder, happily turning to hug Sakura and smile brightly at her before his expression withered at Kakashi as he turned back to the food he had started to cook up.

Ignoring Kakashi, he watched as Sakura then walked over to Lee and hugged him as well. "Wow, Lee," she declared, poking his side with her small index finger. "You're rock solid. How do you do that?"

Lee chuckled almost nervously, "Ah, years and years of Taijutsu training, Sakura-chan. You should know."

Sakura sighed, "I should, but I haven't trained in almost six months. I'm sure I'm rusty."

"Well, when you're feeling better I'd be more than happy to train you at the dojo," Lee offered with another half-bow. "It'd be my honor."

Sakura smiled brilliantly, twin rows of pearly whites practically glittering, "I'd love that, Lee!"

"Yeah, I think it'd be good for you," Kakashi interjected, tossing the apple he just finished up into the trash. "It'll help you feel stronger, more self assured, and safe. It'll be good for you, Usagi. You know, once you're feeling better and all." At this, Kakashi winked at Sakura who simply smiled back just as stupidly.

Lee's eyes darted between the two suspiciously.

"Alright!" Kakashi clapped his hands together. "Duty calls. Mi'lady," Kakashi tipped an imaginary hat, striding over to Sakura and kissing her sweetly on the lips. "Gentlemen, thank you for your help today—I really do appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it," Choji grumbled, tossing a handful of chopped veggies in the skillet.

"We'll take good care of her," Lee nodded, kicking a leg high in the air before stretching it out on the ground. "You be sure to be careful."

Kakashi pointed two finger guns at Lee, "Always, my rock solid friend, always."

With that, the stupidly happy man ambled his way out of his house.

By the time Kakashi reached the club, everyone was already there and waiting. While he was met with the typical, "you always keep us waiting," and "look who finally decided to show up," Kakashi didn't let it phase him. He was on cloud nine and nothing could bring him down. Not even Kiba's constant griping about how it's not fair Kakashi can get away with murder but "god forbid I show up smelling like dog."

"It's not the same," Tsunade sighed heavily, pinching the bridge between her eyes. "That's just Kakashi—we've all accepted that this is something he does, it's apart of him. There's nothing we can do to change it. Besides, he shows up on time when it's important and that's what matters."

"Uh," Kiba scoffed, expression incredulous. "One: this job is _very _important. Two: what the fuck do you mean 'that's just Kakashi?' Shouldn't me smelling like dog from time to time be, 'just Kiba?' I wouldn't call that very fair."

"Kiba, you know we all love you—whether or not you smell like shit," Kakashi chuckled, peering over Neji's shoulder to eye the paperwork he had splayed out on the table; smirking impishly when he heard Neji chuckle under his breath.

"I don't smell like _shit_, Kakashi. Just sometimes I smell like dog because of Akamaru, that's all. You're late all the time, but when I stink everyone's got a problem with it. You know what I think it is? You're just all a bunch of assholes," Kiba grumbled, patting the top of Akamaru's head gingerly while he glared across the room.

"I don't care if you stink, Keeb the Deeb," Naruto snickered, plopping down on the couch next to Hinata and Ino. "I still think you're a cool guy,"

"Thanks, Naruto," Kiba deadpanned, making his way to the table to go over the paperwork with Neji. "Now, can we get down to business?"

"Right," Shikamaru nodded, standing at the end of the table with his hands braced on either side. "We went over this last night, but let's brush up on this again. Naruto, Neji, Shino, Kakashi, and I are going to sneak into Hisato's location where we will capture him. As you all know, this lima-bean man isn't going to be easy to grab because he's got men set up all around," Shika pointed to a map, using his index finger to circle the building Hisato will be in. "We know that his building back in the day was a guard post for an old military base that was abandoned. Hisato and his men took over as means to meet potential clients. The building isn't very large, it's just one big cube if we're being honest. Surrounding the building is a fence that we'll cut in here," He pointed to the far right back corner behind the building. "We've come to the conclusion this is as close to a blind spot as we can get to. We don't know how many men will be outside, but I'll be sure to give you a number as I'm walking in. Kakashi, Naruto, Neji, and Shino will be waiting at the corner. Once I'm in and you all hear me talking with Hisato, go ahead and take out the men on the outside- I'll let you three know how many are on the inside as well. Once all the grunts on the outside have been taken care of, Neji gives me the all clear from the outside—then you'll start to go inside. I'll keep Hisato as distracted as possible, take the men out on the inside as quick and as quiet as you can. This is a stealth job. If we get found out and Hisato gets away then he'll send word to Sota and Sota will take off before we can find out where the fuck he goes. You all will gather there at six, I'll be at the doors as a buyer at seven sharp. We make this quick and quiet, understood?"

"Understood," Kakashi and several others nodded in unison.

"You're not going dressed up like that, are you?" Shino asked with a jut of his chin.

Shika shook his head, "Of course not, I'm not stupid. Most of his buyers are high end businessmen, so I've got to look the part. Luckily Temari picked a nice suit out for me, so I'll be wearing that with my hair slicked back."

"Oooh, smooth criminal, are you sure you're not going to try to seduce the man?" Kakashi teased, elbowing Neji who just shook his head and sighed.

Shika's eyes narrowed, "No. Seducing is your job."

"Ah, incorrect," Kakashi noted with his finger in the air. "I do believe seducing is in Kiba's department. Right, Keebs? How did seducing that prostitute go, anyways?"

Kiba exhaled roughly, glaring daggers at Kakashi, "What is up with you today? You're more of a jackass than normal—even for you."

"Kiba, why do you choose to hurt me so. All I do is love you—unconditionally. All I do is care for you—day in and day out. All I do is-"

"Save it," Kiba cut with a roll of his eyes.

"Fine. I'll save it for another time then," Kakashi winked at Kiba and kissed the air before making his way over to the couch to plop down.

"You're being so weird considering the job at hand," Kiba noted suspiciously.

Kakashi shook his head, "Not weird, my furry friend; confident. We've got this job so meticulously planned out that I know we'll succeed. This is one of the biggest leads we'll have our hands on for awhile. Handing Hisato over to the detective is going to cash in big for us as well. There's nothing wrong about being confident."

"Sure..." Kiba trailed off, opening up the fridge and grabbing a beer.

While Kakashi, Naruto, Shino, and Neji talked among themselves about how they were going to tick off the men on the outside, the rest of the team broke up for their own jobs and Shika took off to get dressed. While he had to admit he was feeling anxious for the job at hand, he had no doubt in his mind it was going to go swimmingly. Stealth jobs were his forte, the only issue was reigning Naruto in so that he didn't just charge out into the opening; granted, he's gotten better over the years, it was still a knee jerk reaction for the man. Kakashi was also anxious to interrogate Hisato, to see what they could get out of the lima-bean man. He dealt with all of Sota's finances, clients, and then some. If anyone knew where Sota's hideout was, it had to be him. There was no doubt they could cash in on Sota's clients—as long as there was a paper trail, which Kakashi was sure the sweaty man had. Chances are, he'd probably easily give up information about the brothers working under Sota, too; which they can take out and cash in. The more isolated they got Sota, the better. Kakashi was just glad they've come this far and this close.

There was no way he was going to let this slip out of his hands.

Time passed quicker than the team could realize, and before he knew it Kakashi and the others had parked one hundred feet away from the meet up point right outside Hisato's base. They were crouched in the bushes, the sun was nearly completely set; the incoming night helping to further hide the men. From where Kakashi was sitting, he could see at least four grunts making rounds in their posts; each one seemingly armed. In his earpiece, he could hear Shika talking to a man at the gate, telling the grunt he was a client of Sota's looking to buy. It wasn't long before the grunt bought into it—with the help of Shika flashing some cash, no doubt—and was guiding him to Hisato. Kakashi could hear Shika counting silently under his breath to the team, counting ten men outside and ten men on the inside; five outside of the office, and five in the office. As soon as Shika gave word, Shino pulled out wire cutters and cut a whole into the wire; the team easily snaking through without a sound.

For the most part, ticking off the grunts seemed almost too easy.

Shino was the first to attack; silently knocking out the grunt closest to where they were crouched and dragging the man's body into a bush. Naruto killed two birds with one stone, sneaking up in between them and socking both of them in their temples as hard as he could with his fists. Kakashi had to give it to the guy, he may not look it but he's a lot stronger than people anticipate. Neji followed suit with a man at the left side of the building, easily hooking his arm around the man's neck and silencing him with a dense chop to his head. Kakashi moved to the right side silently, waiting until the grunt turned his back and struck; kicking the man in the back of the kneecaps to knock him down, slapping his hand over his mouth, and constricting his airflow until he passed out. The bodies were drug to the bushes with each one they took out, removing all weapons and hog tying them so that the team could come back to cash in on some grunts.

With five grunts left, the group split up in pairs; Naruto and Shino took the left side of the building, Neji and Kakashi took the right side; each planning to come around the front. Kakashi at the head, he rounded the corner of the wall fluidly, repeating the action of covering the grunt's mouth and dragging him back against the side wall; choking him until he passed out. Neji followed suit with a grunt in the upper right corner of the perimeter, dragging the hefty grunt's body back after punching him in the temple. In his peripheral, Kakashi could see Naruto and Shino using the same, seamless tactic. Sure, it seemed redundant; but it was a skill taught to them in the Academy how to successfully take out an enemy; it was tried and true. A job like this didn't need fighting, it needed stealth and ease; of which the men easily catered to.

With one grunt left standing at the gate, it was Naruto who volunteered to knock out the man and bring him back. The other three agreed, stating they'll meet where they have the grunts waiting so they can regroup before Shika gives word to go back inside. While the other three men tied the remaining grunts, they sat squat again, waiting for Naruto's return any second.

"Doesn't this seem too easy?" Neji mused suspiciously, adjusting is stance on his feet and glancing over at the line up of knocked out grunts. "Usually the grunts give us a little more fight. These men were armed, but they were taken down way too easily for my comfort."

"I wouldn't overthink it," Shino whispered in a low hum. "Think about it, these are probably entry level grunts—new hires. Hisato, while he does deal with clients and finances, isn't on the top of Sota's priority list. It only makes sense that Sota would assign beginner grunts to cover Hisato's base. He's not going to waste quality men on a guy like Hisato."

"I suppose you've got a point," Neji admitted. "With that being said, where the fuck is Naruto? It's been nearly ten minutes."

"I'll go," Kakashi stood up off of his knees into a walking crouch. "He's probably fucking with the guy. Keep an eye on these grunts, make sure they don't wake up."

"Got it," Shino nodded, adjusting his glasses and jutting his chin forward. "Stay sharp. Shikamaru could give us word any minute."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, slinking himself up against the concrete wall and gliding across the rough surface smoothly; eyes squinted as he struggled to peer out into the darkness in front of him. Crouched at the left front corner of the building, he could see Naruto's silhouette shifting about back and fourth; the shock of his blonde hair almost rapid in how fast it moved. Opposite of that was the silhouette of who he could only assume was the grunt; it's movements just as rapid as Naruto's shifting back and forth in the opposite direction of the whiskered man. Kakashi made his way over to the left side of the gate, shifting along the wire, keeping his eyes sharp as he neared Naruto. Initially, Kakashi thought Naruto may be fucking around—he was someone that "played with their food" so to speak; but the closer he became the sooner he began to hear grunting, hissing, and cussing. The sound of flesh hitting flesh in what could only be a fight. The two dancing silhouettes moved into the light attached to the gate, and Kakashi cussed under his breath.

It wasn't a fucking grunt Naruto was wrestling with.  
It was Reiji.  
The biggest, meatiest motherfucker Kakashi has _ever _seen.  
And he was pinning Naruto down, fat meaty fists driving down hard on the whiskered man's face.

"Shino, Neji; we've got a brawl going on up at the front of the gate. It's Reiji. It wasn't a grunt up there, it's one of the brothers," Kakashi spat into the ear piece.

"_Fuck_," Neji hissed. "How did Shika not see him coming in?"

"I don't know. I need you two here, _now," _Kakashi barked, leaping from his position to land on the back of the bearish man and wrap his arm tightly around his neck.

Reiji swore, reeling up like a giant animal with his arms out straight; gurgling and coughing the harder Kakashi squeezed. The monstrous man stumbled, twisting his body and slamming Kakashi back against a pole several times, each time harder than the last. Fleshy hands came up to grip at Kakashi's arm, muscles bulging as Reiji struggled to ease Kakashi's hold. Kakashi felt his arms burn as he kept his hooked, grabbing his left elbow with his right hand and bringing it in tighter; furthering to cut off the airway. In front of them Naruto stood to his feet, blood pouring over his eyes and down the side of his head. Fists balled, he charged for Reiji; landing several fast, rapid blows to the big man's stomach and causing him to double over with a large gasp. The motion sent Kakashi shooting forward instantly, flying past Naruto and tumbling across the gravel. By this time, Neji and Shino were in the picture; each struggling to capture Reiji's arms and hold him back. Naruto made his move again, leaping in the air and landing a swift kick across the man's big head; causing his head to snap hard to the right and blood to fly out of his mouth. At the same time Neji attempted to knock the man in the temple, but the snap of his head pushed Neji's hand away, losing focus on his hold on the big man's arm. Reiji jerked his arm out of Neji's grasp, twirling and slamming his fist into the side of Naruto's head.

Naruto flew back, skidding to a stop next to Kakashi and spitting out blood. Just as soon as Kakashi stood, so did Naruto. Naruto moved to charge again when Kakashi grabbed him by the shoulder, hissing between his teeth, "We've got to knock him out, Naruto—not fight him. This is a stealth job, not a-"

"Fuck that," Naruto growled, glaring daggers and Reiji who was attempting to throw punches at Neji and Shino. "This is personal."

Before Kakashi could get another word out, Naruto was off; easily dodging Reiji's blows and swiping his leg in a semi-circle in attempts to knock the big man down. With a grunt the big man fell; lobbing over like a tree that had just been chopped down. Naruto straddled Reiji's back, landing swift punches to the back of his head. Kakashi grabbed Naruto's shoulder and lobbed the man off, quickly taking his place and hooking his arm around Reiji's neck; squeezing as tight as he could. Reiji struggled beneath him, arms flailing and coughing up blood into the dirt. His body began to flop like a mad bull, bucking wildly beneath Kakashi and sending him flying back again. Neji and Shino took over, holding the man down while Naruto kicked Reiji in the side of the head several times until he went suddenly still.

It became eerily silent then, with dust settling around them. Carefully Neji and Shino stepped away from the body, turning their heads to Naruto. Kakashi moved to his feet, making his way over to the other three. He opened his mouth to speak when a sharp, deafening pop filled the air.

Kakashi watched as Naruto gargled, blood starting to trickle out of a hole in his neck; eyes wide with terror and pain.  
Standing not fifty feet away from them appeared to be a trembling grunt; gun in hand, pointed in Naruto's direction.

"**SHIT." **Kakashi barked, charging for the grunt immediately while Shino and Neji rushed to Naruto's side.

The grunt had started to backpedal when Kakashi reached him. Arm cocked back, he landed a hard punch directly in the middle of the man's face; knocking him out instantly. He took the gun, flicking the safety on, and tucking it into his pants. He turned to see Neji and Shino crouched down next to Naruto, whose gurgles could be heard from where Kakashi was.

"Shika," Kakashi muttered into the earpiece. "Naruto has been shot. Reiji is-"

Behind Shino Reiji suddenly stood, screaming into the night sky and reaching for Shino. Shino dodged at the same time Kakashi charged again. The three held onto the man's arms, pulling him down with all of their might, and punching him as hard as they could. Each struggled against him, until Kakashi with his free hand pulled out the gun and pointed it at Reiji's temple.  
Instantly the man stilled.

Neji and Shino broke away, stepping back to Naruto and crouching down. Before Kakashi, Reiji began to laugh meniaclly, huge shoulders shaking.

"There's no point. Your boy is as good as dead," Reiji sneered, his voice brutish and rough as though he'd been smoking for years. The huge man bore many scars, had a huge bald head, and towered over all of the men. It was no wonder Sota sought the help of this guy.

"You shut the fuck up," Kakashi bit. "I'm the one holding the gun."

"Who do you work for?" Reiji asked, jutting his chin forward. "Is it a politician? Hmm? You men took me on pretty well—that's one of the best fights I've had in awhile. I mean, shit—you almost killed me! How would you like to work for me, hmm? We've got really great benefits. All the pussy you want, anytime. Plus the pay ain't so bad."

"Eat shit," Kakashi hissed. "We'll do the talking, and we're going to make a deal. Hand over your man Hisato and I wont shoot you in the fucking head."

Reiji snorted, "You want that sweaty little man? For what, he's not all that important."

"That's none of your fucking business. Let my man out, hand over Hisato—and I'll let you go. Is that a deal?"

"What did you do with all the other men out here—did ya kill them?" Reiji spat, blood trinkling over his lower lip and down his stubbled chin.

"I said," Kakashi started, pressing the tip of the gun hard against Reiji's temple. "Hand over Hisato, and you get to live."

Reiji shook his head, "I don't make deals with bitches."

"We've got to hurry," Shino muttered, wrapping more fabric around Naruto's throat. "He'll bleed out and die soon."

"You heard the man," Reiji snickered. "Your little boy over here will bleed out and die if you don't take care of him. Pay no mind to Hisato, he's not worth much anyways."

Kakashi cocked the gun.

"Hey, hey, hey," Reiji grinned, horse-like teeth yellow and daunting. "We're all just pals here, right?"

"I'm not fucking around," Kakashi growled. "If Hisato isn't worth much, then hand him over and I wont shoot you in fucking skull."

Reiji scowled, "You know, my boss wouldn't be too happy if he found out I gave Hisato over."

"Fuck your boss. Your boss is a sick man."

Reiji chuckled darkly, "We've all got demons, boy."

From behind Reiji, Kakashi saw Shika coming out; dragging a body with him. Shika turned and signaled, to which Kakashi diverted his attention back to Reiji. "You two, take him and go. I'll follow behind you."

"Are you sure?" Shino interjected.

"Yeah," Reiji mocked. "Are you sure?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, "I've got the gun, so I'm sure."

Behind him, Kakashi could hear Shino and Neji lift Naruto and carefully watched out of his peripheral as they carried him back to where they were waiting. As soon as they were out of sight, Kakashi glanced back at Reiji, who had not moved from his spot.

"Let's have a chat, man to man," Reiji began, crossing his big arms over his chest despite a gun being pointed at him. "Why are you and your men here—hmm? Do you work for another client? You have to be mercenary; you're not wearing anything to signify that you work for any specific group."

"You're going to shut the fuck up right now," Kakashi asserted.

"Why are you after Hisato?" Reiji pressed, ignorant of Kakashi's tone.

"I said shut the fuck up or I'm ending your miserable life."

Reiji tossed his head back and laughed loudly, "No you're not. I'm worth money to you—alive. You're not going to kill me, you're going to—AAUUGGHH!"

Reiji bellowed, crumbling to the ground and cradling his bleeding crotch in his hands. The monstrous man's cries echoed in the night, filling Kakashi's ears. "You shot me in the dick!" He hollered painfully, slumping over and heaving big breaths.

Kakashi squat down to meet eye level with Reiji, using the tip of the gun to angle the man's face towards him. "You don't mean shit to me, dead or alive. Next time I tell you to shut the fuck up, you shut the fuck up."

Reiji spat blood in Kakashi's face, "Fuck. You. I'm...I'm going to kill you motherfucker—I'm going to kill you!"

Kakashi wiped the blood from his face, laughing darkly under his breath, "Fix your dick first, and then we'll talk when I say we can talk."

With one swift movement, he used the end of the gun to knock Reiji against the temple hard; the big burly man crumbling completely. Kakashi stood and ran, leaving him to bleed out and die.  
Though he knew he'd see him again.  
He was hoping for it.


	24. Crumble

Nothing could possible bring Sakura down.

In such a short instance, she had come leaps and bounds with not only Kakashi, but herself as well. She'd stop fighting what she was feeling, and really let the man in; body, mind, and soul. She had to admit, deep down there was an inkling of fear—something she couldn't really shake. Sakura chalked it up to old habits, not letting the fear consume what she felt was one of the best things to happen to her.

She had love for Kakashi.

Not in the same manner she used to love Sasuke; that was toxic and draining. She realized long ago what she thought was love was only desperation, longing for intimacy and connection; both of which the man never granted her. He only took from her until she was empty—and then took some more. There was no love in his words, no love in his eyes; no love in the way he touched her, and god forbid she try to kiss him (especially in public). No, this love was totally different; completely opposite and wholly new to her. Kakashi gazed at her with love, kissed her with love, and touched her with love. He was sure, strong, and trustworthy. She was drawn to him, like a moth to a flame. She was attracted to him in a manner she'd never been attracted to anyone before. She desired him like she'd never wanted anyone else, and she craved him to the point she felt insane. She loved his attitude; how feckless he was and that lopsided smile. She loved how smart he was; how he was a man of his word, always following through. She loved his passion for animals, and she loved the tight-knit bonds he's forged with those in his circle. She loved his resilience, determination, and humor. She loved him, she was falling in love with him and she knew there was no way she could simply crawl out.

She didn't want to, anyways.

Long before she knew she loved him, she wanted to be in his space. Being there now, it only felt right to her. Kakashi was right, in that it was as though she was made to fit him. Her day to day flowed seamlessly with his, their conversation never dulled even in silence, and their bodies meshed in a manner so beautiful it nearly killed her to experience it. Even if Kakashi never said the words, his love was proof enough through his actions; in and outside the bedroom. The length he's gone to protect her, make her feel safe, and even provide for her when she was well and able to provide for herself. He never made her feel bad for his actions; he never held it over her head and he never guilt tripped her for it. It was second nature to him, and it was only second nature to her. She didn't understand why she fell so hard so fast, but she was done questioning it. She would ride it out, just as Kakashi had said. She would embrace it, because she knew it was good.

It was extremely good.  
The sex was better.

While most people would say she's being biased, Sakura could genuinely say that she'd never had sex like that a day in her life. She understood why those women would go back to the club asking around for him. Sex with Kakashi was a drug, and she was anxious for the next fix. Black burning eyes, big hands gripping her flesh tight, the deep throaty grunts he made that served as an aphrodisiac alone. Sex like that only existed in books, it seemed—yet here she was, practically drooling over this morning's encounter. She'd never felt so giddy and stupid afterwards, so upbeat and positive. Her otherwise constant stressing about the situation she was in seemed dulled compared to the thorough fucking she just got. Everything was sunshiny, bright and beautiful. Even Choji and Lee noticed her behavior, commenting on her sunny disposition.

"You're extra cheery today," Choji snickered, setting a plate of steaming food down in front of her.

Sakura plucked a shoulder happily, grabbing a fork and scooping up glazed meat, "I actually got a good night's sleep—that weed really knocked me out."

Choji chuckled, "Yeah, it'll do that to you. I'm glad you got some decent sleep, I'm sure it hasn't been very easy for you recently—what with the healing and all."

"Nope," Sakura shook her head, her left cheek stuffed with food. "I practically got no sleep, my body hurt so bad. For the most part, everything is back to normal-feeling. I'm just glad I can shower by myself."

Lee grimaced across from her, "I can only imagine, Sakura. I've been severely injured before, so I have some understanding of what it must feel like—just not to that degree. I was miserable for a good while; it really dampens your spirit."

"I'll admit, it started to. I really felt...I don't know, useless? I also felt incredibly bad that everyone was having to help me—I felt like a burden. Especially to Kakashi. But you all really made me feel safe and welcome, and I honestly appreciate everything you and your team have done for me. You just have no idea; I don't know what I could possibly do to repay all of you." Sakura took a long drink of her water, surprising herself with her openness. She never really talked about the deeper things she was feeling with just anyone, but here she was spitting it out and it honestly felt good to her. She'd never really vocalized those darker thoughts. While she had grown to trust everyone on the team, it was something about Lee and Choji that made her feel really safe being open and upfront.

Lee nodded knowingly, "I understand what you're feeling Sakura, I really do. When I had my injury, I was in the same boat. I couldn't walk, I couldn't train—and that _killed _me-"

"Because you're always training," Choji commented, standing to scoop seconds onto his plate.

"Anyways," Lee sighed. "I was just a body, and the team took turns coming to my house and taking care of me. Someone was always home with me; they took turns staying over. Ino tended to my injury most of the time because she's a nurse. Gaara and Guy stayed over the most, doing anything I even remotely needed. At first, I was stubborn. I wanted to refuse the help, try to get up on my own and pee for myself—I couldn't even do that. The doctor said I would never be able to train again, and Tsunade said that I should essentially retire from being a Shinobi."

"I bet that was hard to hear," Sakura sympathized softly.

"It was, it was incredibly hard. One day I'm feeling really hard on myself, and Guy was there. He gives me this big pep talk, telling me if anyone can bounce back, it's me. He told me he'd see this through the end with me, and he did—as did everyone else. He opened my eyes to how I was acting, thinking, and feeling. I realized that these people care for me, they love me, and they're my family. And that's what family does, Sakura. We take care of one another—like they took care of me. After a while, I started slowly training and, with everyone else's encouragement, got back on my feet. I defied the odds and was able to walk, with crutches first and then on my own. I retrained my muscles and became even stronger because of it—physically and emotionally. What I'm getting at Sakura, is that we take care of our own and you're now a part of that. None of us, especially Kakashi, see you as a burden. We want to see you healed; we want to see you bounce back stronger because of this. That's why I think that, once the dust is settled, you should really take up Taijutsu with me. It's a workout, it's training, and it's therapy. It helps you to process emotions and really clear your thinking."

Sakura started, "Wow, Lee...I don't know what to say... Thank you, really. That makes me feel a lot better."

"And don't feel like you have to repay us," Choji added, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head. "All we ask is that you get better."

"I'll work on that," Sakura smiled. "Kakashi has done a really great job at helping me feel better, too. He's been really...great, through all of this. All of you have."

"That's not a surprise," Lee chuckled, shoving his plate away. "I've never seen Kakashi so...in love...with someone before. Ever, actually."

"You really think it's love?" Sakura piqued, licking the rest of the glaze off of her fork.

Both men nodded in unison, Choji speaking up, "Without a doubt, Sakura. We all sort of love you, to be honest. He just loves you the most, and we really hope that...well, you know. We hope that the feeling's mutual, is all."

Sakura paused, pushing her plate away and leaning back into her chair. Green eyes flicked between the two, a small smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth, "It is."

Both men smiled, Choji winking at Sakura while Lee stood and gathered the plates.

Most of the day passed rather lazily, with the trio propped up on the couch and watching some TV drama. Every now and then Lee would stand to do a quick workout, be it push-ups or sit ups before he'd sit back down. They talked among themselves, and Sakura learned a lot about Choji and Lee in that time. She learned that Choji's dad was a big man, too—and that the love of food was genetic for them. She learned that Lee used to be just a scrawny kid, and he worked his way up to the strong fighter he was now. While neither of the men had a girlfriend, Sakura had a fun time teasing them on what their type was and what celebrity they'd date. Choji was an open book, she'd come to understand. She'd ask him anything and the man answered easily—a feat she was rather jealous of. Lee, while not standoffish, didn't have much to say in the relationship department. In fact, he seemed rather flustered by the conversation, which she found to be hilarious.

"Have you even been on a date before?" Sakura giggled, leaning back against the couch to peer over at him.

"No," Choji guffawed, chucking a handful of chips into his mouth.

Lee scowled, "Of course I've been on dates. They just never seem to really progress."

"Nuuuhhh-uuh," Choji held up a meaty finger, waggling it back and forth. "Bullshit. You just seem to prioritize your dojo over women. How old are you, Lee?"

"27...why?"

"Ah, see. You're getting old. If you don't find yourself a good woman and settle down, you're gonna die alone in that dojo my friend."

Lee scoffed, "That's rich, and so not true. Look at Kakashi, he's thirty and now he's got Sakura. Age is just a number; I've got plenty of time. Not to mention, _Choji, _you're just as single as I am!"

Choji shook his head, "Be that as it may, I know how to woo a woman. I've been on plenty of dates, I've had multiple relationships—I'm experienced, and I know what I want out of a woman. When I find her, I'll take all the years of experience I have and use it to win her over. You, on the other hand, just train, train, train—day in and day out. You'll never get experience with women in that way, and one-night stands don't count."

"Lee has one-night stands?!" Sakura baulked, green eyes wide. "That's kind of hard to imagine."

"Oooooohhhhyyyyeeeeaaahhh," Choji sang, elbowing Lee chummily. "Mr. Train-All-Day here is notorious for that, believe it or not."

"Could we not talk about this?" Lee huffed, standing up from the couch and striding into the kitchen. "This isn't appropriate to talk about in front of Sakura."

Choji snorted, "Hardly. She's one of us now, so might as well fill her in."

"Might as well fill me in on what Ino hasn't," Sakura laughed, rolling her neck around.

"Ugh," Lee sighed, reaching in the fridge for a bottle of water and twisting the cap open. "She's such a big mouth."

"That she is," Choji agreed. "But a fun big mouth, nonetheless."

"You know what," Sakura began. "You ever think maybe Lee can't settle on a woman because he's already in love with someone else?"

"Mmmmhh," Choji tilted his head forward, lower lip jutted out. "Lee, is this true?"

Lee shook his head, cheeks a slight pink, "Hardly. Can we talk about something else, now? How are your muscles feeling, Sakura?"

"They're feeling-" Sakura's words were cut off with the ring of her phone. She leapt up, making her way to the pick her phone up off the kitchen island; the caller ID flashing "Dad."

Sakura answered cheerily, "Hey dad! What's up?"

Kizashi cleared his throat, "Sakura. Your voice hasn't gotten any better."

Sakura laughed nervously, "Ah, yeah well—you know. The doctor's said that it might not heal, the infection was so bad." Sakura very nearly forgot the excuse she gave her parents about her damaged voice; she told them she got a throat infection so bad that it damaged the vocal box. Neither of them were medical professionals by a long shot, and it seemed the most believable instead of telling them she was strangled by a maniac.

"Mh," he grunted. "Well, I've got bad news, Sakura. It's your mother."

Sakura's heart thud in her chest. Her father was a man of few words, never really letting on to what he was feeling; but she could hear the tremor in his dark tone, and it scared her shitless. "What, what's going on with mom? Is she okay? Did something happen?"

He cleared his throat again, "Y-yes...She, uh..." She could hear him breathing in deeply, a tactic she saw him do when he thought he was alone to collect himself. "She got into a wreck, Sakura."

"WHAT?!" Sakura shouted, alerting Lee and Choji whose heads flicked to her direction with curious expressions. "Is she okay? What happened?"

"She was in downtown New York for work. She was at an intersection and the light was green on her end; she started taking off at the same time a truck came barreling through and T-boned her. The car actually rolled five times with how fast the fucker was going. He came out of it fine, but your mother is in the hospital."

Sakura's breathing began to come in heavy pants, her face growing hot and tears instantly slipping from the corners of her eyes as the panic set in. Sakura's mother was one of the most loving, sweetest people she'd ever experienced. She gave Hinata a run for her money in sweetness, and one tender glance from her and you just fell apart. Her mother was the last person who deserved anything bad to happen to, and it had just happened; one of Sakura's worst nightmares. Her mother drove in and out of New York all the time, and Sakura constantly worried that her mother was going to get into a wreck; not because of her driving, but because bad drivers were a dime a dozen in that city. Her worst nightmare had come true, and she felt shell-shocked.

Kizashi exhaled slowly, "She's at New York Presbyterian, in downtown New York. She's got broken bones, really bad cuts and scratches, contusions, and she's currently in a coma."

"A _COMA_," Sakura practically screeched, her heart rate increasing and thudding in her ears.

"Calm down, Sakura," Kizashi rumbled. "We're lucky she didn't die; she should have in a wreck like that. The doctors here are doing everything they can to take care of her."

"I'm flying home," Sakura bit instantly. "I'll fly over there so I can see you and her."

"Sakura, that's not-"

"No, dad. Stop acting like that. Just stop. I'll book the next flight," her breath hitched with her heaving, struggling to level her erratic thoughts.

"You can't just take off, Sakura. You've got to consult your boss first, and then-"

"Let me handle that," Sakura decapitated with a sniff. "I'll let you know when I book a flight..."

Kizashi sighed heavily, "Alright, Sakura. Just...just try to relax, okay? Let's be grateful she's alive."

"I'll try, dad...Are...are you okay?" Sakura struggled to hold back her tears, not wishing to stress her dad out more than she was sure he was stressing.

"I'm..." Another long, slow exhale, "I'm okay, honey. Call me and let me know what's going on. I'll pretty much be at the hospital the entire time, so you'll know where to find me. I love you, cherry blossom."

"I love you, dad," Sakura tremored.

The line clicked and ended.  
Sakura's phone toppled out of her hands, following her to the floor as she crumpled and began to bawl her eyes out.

Lee and Choji shot up instantly, moving to crouch down in front of her. "What's wrong? What happened?" Lee pressed, stretching his hand forward to clasp over her shoulder.

"S-she got into a wreck," Sakura hiccupped, wiping away at her tears and struggling to compose herself. "Dad said she's in a coma, she's got broken bones, and she's cut up."

"Oh no," Choji frowned, red brows arching in concern. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Sakura. Did he say how severe the injuries were?"

Sakura shook her head, "No, he won't tell me that. That's why I'm going back home."

Lee and Choji glanced between each other, Lee quickly turning his attention back to Sakura, "What do you mean, Sakura? Like move back home?"

"No," She sniffed. "I'm not moving back, but I'm going to fly there and stay as long as they need me to stay. At least until she wakes back up."

"Sakura..." Choji began, eyes wide with sympathy. "I understand you're worried about your mom; I would be if it were my mother. I understand you want to go see her; I would do the same thing. That being said, I think that with everything going on, that's not the best idea. Not until we get everything settled here first."

Sakura started, squinting, "What are you saying?"

Choji sighed heavily, "I'm saying that Sota and his men are still out there. We're getting closer to getting him, but right now it would put you in danger if you took off."

"Nope," Sakura set her teeth, shaking her head aggressively as she stood to her feet. "I don't care. I'm going back to the states so I can see her. There's nothing you can do or say to change my mind."

Choji rubbed his hands together, standing and blowing out air as he did, "Okay."

"Okay?" Lee echoed, bushy brows pinched tight. "That's all you've got to say?"

Choji shook his head and shrugged, hands held up on either side of his head, "You heard her, Lee. There's nothing else we can do or say to change her mind. If she wants to fly to the states and put herself AND her family in danger—that's on her."

"It's not like they're going to follow me," Sakura bit harshly, crossing her arms across her chest. "If I leave early in the morning, no one will even know, let alone the-"

"Sakura, you just have no idea who we're dealing with. We've kept all the going ons with Sota between strictly the team so you won't freak out, but just to remind you: we are dealing with an incredibly dangerous man, in charge of other incredibly dangerous men—who are all out trying to kidnap you."

"I'm aware," Sakura remarked bitterly.

"Then you're obviously not thinking clearly," Choji grunted. "I think that you should really think about what you're going to do before you do it. At least talk to Kakashi about it first."

Sakura scowled, "He's not my keeper. I can do what I want, when I want."

Choji shook his head, "Okay. Do what you want, when you want. It's not like we've all been working hard on keeping you safe. But what do I know?"

"What's it to you?" Sakura challenged. "Why are you getting so upset? It's my fucking mom that is in the hospital right now, not yours."

"I'm not upset, Sakura- I'm annoyed. I totally understand what you must be feeling and thinking right now, but that doesn't mean that we just throw all our hard work to the wind and make rash decisions. We need to consult this as a team," Choji explained, widening his stance. "Once everyone is done with their jobs, we can all meet and discuss what we can do."

Sakura scoffed, "Why do we have to discuss me flying back to the states? I'm an adult, if I want to book a fucking flight back home to be with my parents because my _MOM_ got into a _WRECK_ and is currently in a _COMA_ then I'm going to do it. Why are you making it so complicated?"

"Because it is complicated, Sakura," Lee interjected in an even tone. "Just, how about you go and take some time to calm down? There's no need for all of us to get upset. I'm really sorry about your mom. We'll figure this out."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "There's nothing to figure out."

With that, she did an about face; marching down the hall and into the bedroom, slamming the door shut and crumpling against the door. Who the fuck does he think he is? Did he not understand the severity of the situation? Sakura was a whirlpool of emotions, and she couldn't seem to get a handle on any of them. She felt shocked, devastated, afraid, angry, and ashamed. Though some part of her knew that when it boils down to it, Choji was right: she'd be putting herself in danger if she just took off. Still, panic and desperation blossomed across her chest, making her need to go see her parents outweigh the risk. She would sneak off, if she absolutely had to.  
She didn't care.  
Just as long as she got to her mother, ASAP.

Being a nurse, Sakura understood that her mother was severely injured; she didn't need her father telling her for her to know that. No one came out of a wreck like that unscathed. Chances are the doctors induced the coma, too, to ease her pain and suffering. She was probably hanging on by a string, and there could be more damage than her dad let on. There could be punctured organs, major brain trauma—standard damages that come from wrecks to that degree. Sakura knew that even if her dad knew more, the man wouldn't budge in telling her anymore than he just did; and Sakura can't live not knowing just how severe the injuries could be. To Sakura, not knowing was worse than knowing. If she knew, if she was there and she could talk to the doctors; then she'd have something real to hold onto and look up to. She'd know what it'd take for her mother to heal, instead of just sitting here and waiting on calls from her dad to update her.  
No.  
She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she stayed here.  
Risk or not, she was going.

Sakura jolted awake, surrounded in near pitch-black darkness. She fumbled around in the dark, finding her phone on the floor beside her and looking at the time that read 10:30PM. She doesn't remember falling asleep, rather just setting her face in her hands and bawling her eyes out like a big baby. She moved to her feet, rubbing her eyes roughly before blindly reaching for the door handle and twisting it open. Light from the kitchen bled down into the hall, and as Sakura was halfway down the hall she could hear Lee and Choji talking among each other.

"- and she told me that he's in critical condition. She's a wreck."

Lee's sigh could be heard, "I can't believe this. We have to go see him."

"We can't leave Sakura here. Besides, she said Himari isn't allowing visitors other than-"

Sakura's phone rang loudly, pausing the conversation in the kitchen and making Sakura jump. She swiveled, going back into the room and shutting the door as quietly as she could. Glancing at her screen, Himari was calling her from her personal cell.

"Himari?" Sakura answered, her voice shaking.

"Oh, good—you're awake. How are you doing?" Himari's voice was tense and strained.

"Um, actually—I was going to call you to talk to you. My dad called me today and told me that my mother got into a really bad wreck and she's in a coma-"

"Oh shit," Himari huffed on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah. I know I'm supposed to go back to work in a week, but I'm planning on booking a flight to go be with her and my dad—at least until she wakes up."

"Mmmh, well I need to talk to you anyways. I have decided that it's best that you don't come in until all of this is taken care of," Himari asserted tiredly.

Sakura frowned, "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Honey, I'm talking about Sota."

"You...You know about him?" Sakura breathed, shocked.

Himari snorted, "You bet your ass I do. I've worked with your friends for a very long time, so I'm somewhat in the loop. They told me they were going to have everything covered, so I thought you'd be fine to come back and work after you've healed. Well, after tonight, I don't think that's possible."

"What do you mean after tonight? Did Sota show up at the hospital?" Sakura's chest went tight instantly at the thought, her voice tremoring slightly.

"No. But one of his men shot Naruto in the neck. We barely got him stable, and it's pure luck to be honest. It was all a blur, I'm not sure how the kid even managed to survive—but we've got him stable."

Sakura gasped, "Naruto got shot in the _neck?!"_

"Yes ma'am," Himari affirmed gravely. "He was on one of those jobs and I guess it had to do with Sota because Kakashi told me it was one of Sota's men that shot him."

"_Kakashi was there?" _Sakura practically shouted.

"Several of them," Himari replied. "This job was a big deal and it got out of hand. They all came rushing in with that poor kid bleeding all over the place. Kakashi told me about what happened, and it just clicked for me Sakura. If you come here and work, even if they had people watching out for you—there's still a chance that Sota can get ahold of you, and I can't risk that. It's just too dangerous. For you, for us, for everyone. We can't afford that."

"Am...am I fired?" Sakura asked nervously.

Himari huffed, "No, don't be stupid. You're just not working until the team has captured that sick man for good."

"How- I mean, how long is that going to take? I can't be without a job forever, Himari. And what about Tanaka?"

"I'll handle Tanaka," Himari stated firmly. "As for how long it'll take, I can't tell you. I really can't. We can only hope it's soon. I have a feeling this man is only going to get worse. I can't have his men coming in here, Sakura. It's damage control at this point, I hope you understand. Once this is all over, you're more than welcome back."

"I guess I understand," Sakura deflated. "Is Kakashi there?"

"I don't know," Himari admitted. "Things have been hectic here, so I haven't really been paying attention. At any rate, I have to go- I've got to check on Naruto. I'm really sorry about your mom, baybay."

"Thank you," Sakura nearly whispered. "Bye." She hung up.

Sakura blinked, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. What the fuck was going on? This morning, everything seemed peachy—and in just eight hours it all goes to complete shit. First her mom, and now finding out Naruto was shot in the throat—nearly killed—because he was on a job dealing with Sota...because of her...

She should have seen this coming.  
Kakashi told her that no one was going to get hurt protecting her. Kakashi told her that they were highly trained, that the damage would be minimal, yet...Naruto very nearly died? Because what, he wanted to help? For her sake?  
He fucking lied.

Sakura's gut twisted, making her feel sick. Her mind was running a million miles an hour, tears welled and spilled over. Her shame deepened, and guilt riddled her instantly. Hinata must be so torn up, the whole team must be. They must hate her, because if she was being honest all of this was her fault. None of this would have happened had she never slapped Sota at the club. If she just didn't go out at all, if she didn't act like a fucking idiot then this would have never happened.

Too bad she was a fucking idiot.  
Too bad she was lied to and she believed him.

Somehow, someway her mix of emotions turned into anger. She was mad her mother got into a wreck. She was mad that she couldn't go into work. She was mad that she trusted Kakashi. She didn't know why, but for some reason she wanted to blame him. She wanted to scream at him that he lied, that someone almost died and it was her fault. Somewhere she knew it didn't make any sense, but rational thought had long left her—leaving room for only anxiety and anger. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be with her parents. She didn't want to be in this situation. She wanted everyone to be safe, and no one was all because of her. She wanted to relax, tell herself it was no one's fault; but it just wasn't working. Nothing made sense to her, and all she could do was unlock her phone; looking up the soonest flight to New York City.

It didn't take Sakura long to find a flight that was set for early morning; granted, she paid a hefty fee for booking the ticket so late, but she booked it nonetheless. As soon as she got the confirmation, she pocketed her phone and began to dig out clothes to pack.

She felt betrayed. She felt guilty. She felt afraid. She felt lost.  
She didn't want anyone else hurt because of her. Maybe she'd stay in New York until all of this was blown over. Maybe she'd just move back for good; throw it all away and go back home. She was confused and hurt, but one thing she was sure of:

She was going to go see her mother, no matter what.


	25. Upset

**Hey there! Kira here just popping in to say that I once again really, really appreciate y'all's reviews—it really means so much to me! To those who have consistently been commenting and giving me feedback, to those of you who are new to the story. Y'alls reviews really make me feel good and they really encourage me—and that's fucking RAD. I appreciate those who have stuck along for the ride, and who were/are so patient with me. I really do hope you're enjoying the story so far, and hang on for dear fucking life. I really love y'all! Thank you for your support, it really means the most to me. Happy reading, Kitties! Love, Kira. **

Kakashi gazed down at Naruto's sleeping form, eyeing all the tubes and wires that were connected to him. This isn't the first time he's seen the whiskered man in this position—Naruto was a smuck for always getting injured. It was almost guaranteed that he'd get hurt during every job, big or small. Still, the guy had a knack for getting back up like it was nothing. This time though, he was down for the count—and almost forever.

When they arrived to the hospital, Naruto lost all color to him. He was bleeding through the fabric Shino had wrapped around his throat. At first, his eyes were open wide and roving around wildly; gurgling and coughing up blood all over the backseat of the car. The closer they got to the hospital—going at least 90 on the way there—the slower Naruto became. His eyes began to droop, losing focus until he remained completely unresponsive. Kakashi was holding him in the backseat, desperately tapping the man's face in attempts to keep him up and keeping pressure on the wound. Once they reached the hospital, everything became frenzied. The men rushed in carrying Naruto, Neji being the first to run in and grab someone's attention. Several nurses rushed immediately, setting the whiskered man on a gurney and wheeling him off. One of the nurses called Himari upon Kakashi's request; it was her and another doctor who tended to Naruto, desperate in their attempts to get him stable. Neji, Shino, and Kakashi paced around the waiting room; Shino being the one to notify the rest of the team on what happened, Hinata being the first he called. An hour and a half later, the doctors were able to stabilize Naruto, of which Kakashi nearly deflated he sighed so hard. Seeing Naruto's colorless face, he was scared shitless they were going to lose him.

While they waited at the hospital, Shika had taken the car—along with Hisato in the trunk—back to the club, and was going to return as soon as he dropped the man off to Gaara; though Kakashi doubted Gaara was going to interrogate the man right now, with Naruto in the hospital. Kakashi found out from Shino, who spoke on the phone with Shika, just how Shika managed to get Hisato. While the men outside were having a standoff with Reiji, Shika took matters into his own hands on the inside; apparently already anticipating something to fall through. Shika took on all ten men on the inside, a feat which was not unknown to the team for Shika to do. All of his attacks were extremely strategic, planned out so meticulous that he never seems to fail. Even in the midst of the chaos outside, the man never lost focus of his goal: getting Hisato, of which he did. It seemed almost too good to be true, but this wasn't the first time Shika has come in clutch when shit has hit the fan.  
And shit definitely hit the fan.

Kakashi wasn't sure how no one managed to see Reiji, and while he hoped the sick fucker bled out and died; he knew that wasn't going to happen. Bad guys almost never went down easily, and if they did it was suspicious. What Kakashi worried about now was what Reiji was going to tell Sota, and if Sota was going to take off once again—the difference this time was that they've got Hisato, and Kakashi didn't doubt the squat man would talk. Men like him will do anything to save their own skins, and while they left the other grunts they tied up there; at least they could cash in on Hisato.

"Kakashi, what time is it?" Hinata's voice broke his train of thought, bringing him back to the present.

Kakashi glanced at his phone, "It's 11:13PM."

Hinata shifted in her seat, leaning forward to adjust the tube that was down Naruto's throat through his mouth. She sat across from Kakashi, on Naruto's left side. Her pearl eyes were red and swollen from crying, her hair tossed up in a messy side pony tail, wearing a baggy sweater and pants. She was a sobbing mess when she arrived, being walked in by Kiba before he drove Neji and Shino back to the club to interrogate Hisato; coming back later to pick Kakashi up. Himari was kind to Hinata, reassuring her that the worst was over and he was just going to be on the mend. She said he would be in the hospital for several days before they let him out, to which Hinata understood fully. Everyone was just relieved that he was going to be just fine, a miracle all around considering the guy was shot in the fucking throat. They had a lot of near death run in's with Naruto; just none to this degree. It impacted everyone the most because the guy was, while unendingly annoying, the glue that held the team together. Losing him would absolutely devastate not just Kakashi, but Ancient of Days as a whole.  
He'd already lost several good friends; he couldn't stand to lose another.

Himari came bustling in the room, immediately making her way past Hinata to check the IV bags hanging and adjust them some, "Has he woken up at all, even a little bit?"

Hinata shook her head, "No ma'am, he hasn't."

Himari grunted, "Hm. Well, he's on a lot of pain medicine right now, so I doubt he'll wake up any time soon." She turned her attention to Kakashi, "Oh, Sakura asked about you by the way."

"What'd she say? Wait, did she call you or something?" Kakashi piqued, standing up from his position and moving the corner of the room to allow Himari to come around to the other side of the hospital bed.

Himari shook her head, readjusting some wires around Naruto, "No, I called her. After this incident with your friend here happened, I decided it was best for her to not come in to work until your team snags that Sota guy. Otherwise, I felt more problems would arise from having her here with him still out there. Not to mention, she wouldn't have been able to focus at the work at hand; she would be looking over her shoulder every other second, and we just can't have that. I also thought, if Sota and his men figure out where she works, they could easily call in to have her travel to a location and isolate her there. So, I felt like it was for the best."

Kakashi sighed, "You're right, it is for the best. Is she going to be getting paid time off?"

Himari cast a withering glance at Kakashi, "Unfortunately, after the end of this month, no. There's nothing I can do about that. She expressed that she didn't like that, but my hands are tied. So, I guess you and your team better get at capturing that sick man. The longer you take, the harder it's going to be on her. You understand that, right? She'll have years and years of anxiety the longer this stretches out."

"We know that," Kakashi asserted evenly. "We caught ourselves someone that we think will lead us directly to Sota's hideout. So, we're closer than you think we are."

"Does she know that?" Himari pressed, picking up a chart at the end of the bed and jotting something down.

"She knows she's safe, that's all that matters."

Himari shook her head, her expression skeptical, "I don't know about that. She sounded pretty upset when she knew you were with Naruto when he got shot."

Kakashi stopped, glancing over at Hinata whose pearl eyes widened. "Himari," he began slowly, "please don't tell me you told her about Naruto and the job?"

Himari placed a fist on her hip, "Yes the hell I did. She needed to know why I decided to keep her home, otherwise she would have taken it personal."

Kakashi let out a heavy sigh, "Himari. Sakura is already under a lot of stress. The last thing we wanted was to stress her out more. The team and I decided to keep all dealings with Sota to ourselves; that meant jobs and the shit that happens at jobs. She was doing pretty good, too. You understand she's going to come unglued, right?"

"And what were you going to tell her about Naruto, hmm? Were you just going to lie to her about it? She's not a child, Kakashi. She's an adult, a grown ass woman capable of processing things like grown ass women do. This is something that, unfortunately, she needed to be told. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but that's just the way it is."

"It's not like we're blatantly lying to her. We could have found another way to break it to her. So, not only does she now feel like she's out of a job, but now she's going to feel guilty for Naruto getting shot. You understand that?" Kakashi was fuming in an instant; a surprise even to him. He knew the first thought in Sakura's head was going to blame herself, since she had already been feeling bad about the team helping her out to begin with. She could potentially have night terrors again, if the guilt really triggered her. She, though she's come a long way in just a month, could easily try to push everyone out again; not just him, but the whole team.

Himari squinted at Kakashi, "Yeah, and not telling her is just as bad. I don't know what is going on between you two, but right now you're hurting her more than you're helping her. You're coddling her like she's a toddler who can't handle being told no. Maybe, if she was more aware of what was going on, she'd have more of a realistic expectation and a better handle on how to deal with it. I know you have her best interest at heart, but you're doing it wrong."

Kakashi glared, "I'm sorry, where have you been for the past month? We've been here for her, we're the ones taking Sota down, and we have done our best to keep her as stress free as possible because—if you remember—it was you who said she shouldn't stress unless she wanted another seizure. So, which is it, Himari? Tell her everything going on, and stress her the fuck out and potentially cause her to seize—or keep the details to ourselves and just reassure her we have it handled?"

"Kakashi..." Hinata spoke up, pearl eyes earnest. "I think you should go home and rest. We've all had a really long night."

Kakashi ran his hands through his hair, continuing to talk to Himari, "Don't fucking tell me I'm doing it wrong when I have been trying my damnedest to keep her as safe and secure as possible. The entire team has. Don't fucking tell me what's best for her, when by this point, we know her best. You should have asked me if it was okay to tell her that shit, instead of just opening up your fucking mouth and saying what you want to say."

"SHE. IS. AN. ADULT." Himari hissed through gritted teeth. "Not a child. I'm saying that you're setting her up for failure if you're constantly making her think it's all sunshine and rose petals. Had she had a more realistic grasp on what's going on, even if by a little, then she would be able to handle it better and maybe take it a little more serious instead of thinking she can just take off to do what she wants."

"You guys..." Hinata exclaimed softly, glancing between the two.

"Oh, handle it better? Do you mean the fucking night terrors? Or when she literally blacked out and tried to fight us she was so fucking scared? Don't you think it makes sense to not give her the details so she won't dwell on it, because that's what she does. She'll think things over until it's made her sick. You don't know _shit, _Himari."

"You know what," Himari barked, pointing a finger at Kakashi angrily. "I never liked you, and now I know why. You're suffocating that poor girl."

Kakashi scoffed, "Suffocating? In what way? Protecting her? She's not being held hostage for Christ's sake."

"She's going to feel that way if you keep hiding things from her."

"We aren't _hiding_ shit from her, Himari. Matter of fact, why am I even arguing with you? You haven't been there like we have. You haven't seen how she can get, and she can get bad. You are just making an assumption based off of one instance because, what, you don't like me? Forgive me if I don't give a fuck." Kakashi shook his head, silver brows pulled together tight. He'd never felt so unhinged before. Usually no one gets under his skin, but for some reason this woman said exactly the right thing to get him unglued.

"Get out," Himari stood firm, pointing to the room door. "Get out of here."

Kakashi snorted, "You can't stop me from coming and going. If I want to come back to see Naruto, I'm going to. If I want to keep Sakura safe and protected, I'm going to. You don't know her like we do. We aren't suffocating her, we aren't lying to her, and we aren't hiding things from her. She was doing really well, and you've gone and fucked that up."

Himari rubbed her eyes, "I don't give a fuck what you have to say. You're getting loud, and Naruto needs his rest. I'm telling you as a hospital official to get the fuck out of her or I'll have to call security."

Kakashi's brows shot up, "Really, you'll call security on me? That's rich, all things considered."

"Don't make me tell you again," She growled, jutting her finger back at the door.

"Kakashi," Hinata enunciated in a hushed tone. "Maybe it's best if you do leave."

"Whatever," Kakashi bit, tossing his hands over in Himari's direction. "Do me a favor, don't give me fucking advice unless I ask for it, do you understand?" He glanced over at Hinata, who had Naruto's hand clasped in between hers. "I'm sorry, Hinata. Call me with any updates."

Hinata gave one slow nod, "Okay...you be sure to get some sleep. The day has been rough on all of us."

Kakashi exited the room, seething as he strode down the hall and into the waiting room where Kiba sat with Akamaru at his feet. He glanced up from his phone, expression falling when he caught sight of Kakashi. "Er- what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you in the car," Kakashi answered, walking past Kiba and out the emergency room doors.

Once the two hopped into Kiba's jeep and took off down the road, Kiba spoke up again, "So... care to tell me what's up? You look pretty pissed."

Kakashi shook his head, glaring out the window, "It's Himari. She told Sakura about Naruto getting shot, about the job, me being there—pretty much everything going on with tonight."

"Fuck," Kiba sighed, rolling his eyes. "Why did she do that?"

"Because she said she had to tell Sakura as to why she couldn't have Sakura go in until we capture Sota, but my thing is that she could have easily just told Sakura it was for her safety, instead of telling her the details of what happened. I can guarantee Sakura is blaming herself right now."

"Yeah, that's-"

"And _then_ she had the fucking audacity to say that I was pretty much lying to Sakura and hiding things from her by not telling her our jobs having to do with Sota. Her, of all fucking people has the fucking balls to tell me that I'm suffocating her? When we've been nothing but catering towards Sakura and careful to take care of her during this time. She goes on about Sakura being an adult, and she'd handle the news better if she had a realistic grasp on what was happening, but Himari hasn't been there like we have. She hasn't been there for everything going on, so what the fuck does she know?"

Kiba exhaled loudly, shaking his head as he did, "I'm sorry, dude. Himari is just...really opinionated. We all know that. Most of the time, she's not bad at all—and then sometimes, she's an ass just to be a fucking ass. She looked pretty exhausted when I saw her, and from what I heard it was her and another doctor that helped stabilize Naruto?"

"Yeah, it was."

"So, if anything, she was probably scared, Kakashi. Think about it, anytime we go in with a job-related injury she gets on our cases. Naruto lives by the skin of his teeth, almost killed by someone working for the man that wants to hurt Sakura. She's tired, scared...she was probably thinking up all this crazy shit. I bet once she gets a good night's sleep in, she'll re-think what she said to you."

"Maybe you're right," Kakashi muttered. "I just hate that I let her get under my skin like that. She just got to me. I couldn't help but pop off."

Kiba shrugged a shoulder, pulling into the parking lot of the club, "I get it. The job didn't go as planned, granted we still got Hisato, but we almost lost Naruto in the process. I know how you get when it comes to any of us getting really hurt, so I understand where you're coming from." Kiba parked, cutting the car off and twisting his torso to better look at Kakashi. "Let's just be glad that things worked out in the end for us."

"But they almost didn't," Kakashi remarked dully. "If Naruto had died..."

"But he didn't," Kiba cut evenly. "You know that nothing can kill that guy. I give it a day or so and he'll be back up on his feet, annoying the shit out of all of us."

"I guess so..."

Kiba clapped a hand over Kakashi's shoulder, "As shitty as today might have been, we're closer to Sota than we've ever been. Hisato will talk, we'll find out where he hides out to, and get that rat bastard. Then Sakura will be finally in the clear, and you two can go off and have babies or whatever couples do."

Kakashi managed a weak laugh, "Alright, it sounds like a plan."

"You go ahead and go home; relieve Choji and Lee. I'll handle Tsunade."

"Thanks, Keebs. You may be an asshole, but deep down you're a really sweet guy," Kakashi teased lightly.

Kiba rolled his eyes, "There he is. You're a cheeky asshole, I swear."

With one last chuckle, Kakashi exited the car, turning to lean into the open door, "Oh, I guess we'll meet up tomorrow to discuss what our next move is?"

Kiba nodded, "Yeah, maybe. I'll keep you updated on what Tsunade wants to do. Considering everything, she may want to give it a day or so before we pull another big job. Because let's face it, after we squeeze Hisato for info, the jobs following this will be big; we'll actually be capturing Sota. You know how it goes."

"Yep," Kakashi nodded. "Not the first Yakuza boss we've captured, not the last."

By the time Kakashi got into his car and to the house, it was a quarter past midnight. Lee and Choji met Kakashi out front where Kakashi explained the entire situation with Naruto to them, reassuring them that he was going to pull through.

"You look rough," Choji remarked, scrutinizing Kakashi's clothes. He still had Naruto's blood all over his shirt and pants, and he had nearly forgotten about it.

Kakashi plucked at his shirt, "Yeah, it was rough. It was all one crazy, erratic blur. I'm just glad he's okay, and we got Hisato, too. So, we're one step closer."

"That's good," Lee yawned, stretching his long arms up. "Can Naruto have visitors?"

"Yeah, but maybe it's best to pop in sometime tomorrow afternoon, the guy really needs his rest. Hinata is there with him, so that's really all he needs right now. Besides, Himari and I got into it, so I don't think she's in the mood to deal with visitors."

Choji's brow quirked down, "Eh? What happened?"

"We got into it over Sakura, mainly because Himari called Sakura and told her everything that happened."

Lee's huge eyes nearly bulged out of the sockets, "You mean, with Naruto getting shot?"

"Everything," Kakashi enunciated slowly. "We got into a pretty big tiff over it and her, so...there's that."

"That explains a lot..." Choji muttered.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, "Explains what?"

"Well...So Sakura's dad called her today, and to sum it up her mom got into a wreck and she's in a coma," Lee explained carefully. "She starts saying that she's going to book a flight back to the states to be with her parents."

"You can't be serious," Kakashi deadpanned.

"Dead serious," Choji asserted. "Her and I sort of got into it, actually. I was just trying to explain to her why taking off is a bad idea, but she wasn't having it. She got pretty defensive about it. Later, I guess after the time Himari called her, Sakura was just...pissed? She won't talk to us. She's been in and out of the bedroom, grabbing the reusable shopping bags from the pantry and taking them to the room."

"We think she already booked a flight," Lee added with a sigh. "We tried to get her to talk to us, but she wouldn't. Her eyes were puffy and red, so we know she's been crying. The wreck with her mom was really bad, Kakashi. Like, made it out barely alive bad. I think Sakura said that her mom's got broken bones, cuts—all of that."

Kakashi tossed his head back and exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Can this night get any worse. That sounds awful."

"It is. She's been a mess since she first got the call from her dad, but who can blame her? If I were in her shoes, I'd be acting the same way," Choji replied. "If you want, we can stay here so we can all talk to her."

"No," Kakashi shook his head. "She'll feel attacked and cornered if we do that. I'll talk to her. You two can take off home now, I'm sorry it took so long. Thank you for keeping an eye on her, especially with everything that's gone on today."

Choji squeezed Kakashi's shoulder, "Don't mention it. Let us know what happens with Sakura."

"Will do, you two drive safe." Kakashi waved goodbye as the pair loaded themselves into Lee's car and drove off.

When Kakashi stepped into the house, he immediately noticed how eerily silent it was; even with the dogs. The lights were still on from Lee and Choji, but as he walked through the house, he couldn't find Sakura anywhere. Opening the door to the bedroom, he noticed there were multiple reusable shopping bags set at the end of the bed; stuffed to the brim with Sakura's clothes, blankets, and toiletries. He turned on his heel, out of the bedroom and back down the hall into the living room. Just as he pulled out his phone to call her, he noticed headlights slowly pulling into the driveway. He walked up to the window, peering out into the pitch-black night; only able to make out the headlights of the car and a small yellow lit up taxi sign on top of it. Quickly he made his way to the bedroom; grabbing a kunai in his bedside drawer and pocketing it; marching down the hall and outside to the driver side of the taxi.

The window whirred down and a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties popped his head out with a toothy grin, "Hey! I'm here to pick up Sakura Haruno."

"Sorry, bud—you've got the wrong house," Kakashi lied, jerking his head towards the road. "You better just get out of here."

Thin brows twitched in confusion, "Uh...are you sure? She said the address was-"

"Yeah, well you've got the wrong one," Kakashi decapitated coolly.

The driver blinked several times, "Oookkaayyy then...I guess I'll just get going. Sorry for bothering you so late. Er...have a good night..." He turned on the car, moving to reverse when shouting could be heard from the front of the house.

"Wait! Wait- I'm right here! You're here for Sakura Haruno, right?" Sakura was ambling out the front door, bags over each shoulder and bags in both hands. She marched to the driver's side, not looking at Kakashi as she spoke to the man. "Pop the trunk, I can put these in the back."

"Uh...okay, y-yeah-" The driver stuttered, shutting off the car and opening the door to get out.

With the heel of his hand Kakashi slammed the door back shut, "We're not doing that."

"Fine, I'll put them in the backseat," Sakura chirped at the taxi driver, stepping to the side to maneuver herself around Kakashi.

Kakashi pressed his hip against the taxi car, twisting his torso to stand fully in front of Sakura, "Absolutely not." His tone was hard and edged with steel; stubborn and unmoving.

Sakura finally looked up at Kakashi, glaring daggers at him as she ground out through gritted teeth, "Get out of my way. I don't have time to be playing this game. I've got to go."

"Hey, is that blood on your clothes..." The taxi driver muttered, brown eyes speculating Kakashi's outfit nervously.

"I had to take my friend to the hospital," Kakashi answered dully, not breaking his gaze from Sakura. "You can leave, we don't need your service here."

"_No," _Sakura bit harshly. "_I _need his service; I need to go."

Kakashi shook his head tiredly, "I'm sorry, bunny, but you're not going anywhere. We've got things we need to talk about."

"Ma'am, is this guy giving you troub—uh..." The taxi driver faltered when Kakashi cast the man a withering glance. He laughed nervously, "I'll...uh...you know, I can just come back later...I'll let you two sort this out."

Sakura turned her head, a fake smile stretching tightly across her face, "That won't be necessary. We can go right now." She went to side step Kakashi, scoffing angrily when he moved to get in her way again; reaching out to grab the bag in her left hand.

"Sakura," Kakashi titled sincerely, dark eyes narrowing in earnest. "We have things we need to talk about."

She shook her head aggressively, blinking away forming tears, "Is that Naruto's blood?"

Kakashi said nothing, he simply kept his gaze locked with hers; hand wrapped around the strap of the bag that she wouldn't let go of.

Sakura jerked her hand back, yanking the bag out of his hand and taking a step away from him, "I'm leaving."

"Do you really want to do this?" Kakashi muttered gloomily.

Sakura said nothing, raising her chin definatly.

The taxi driver glanced between the two, "So..."

Kakashi ran his hand through his hair, gripping at the root and tugging roughly; sighing heavily. He turned his attention to the taxi driver, "Can you just wait for me to get my things? It won't take long."

"What?" Sakura barked, expression incredulous. "You can't come with me; you don't have a ticket. You don't even know where I'm going."

"Doesn't matter," Kakashi replied evenly. "I'm going with you."

"You don't have a ticket," she repeated.

"I can buy one when we get there."

Sakura followed up immediately, "What about the dogs?"

"Someone from the team can take care of them," he answered just as quickly.

"What about your job?"

"They'll understand."

Sakura faltered, eyes darting to the ground as she muttered, "What if I don't want you to come with me?"

Kakashi paused, scrutinizing Sakura's expression. Just as he thought, she has riddled herself with stress and worry to the point it's almost totally altered her thinking. He could see how tired she looked; the worry etched on her face behind the anger. He figured she was desperate and hurt, saying something like that. Kakashi tried not to let the statement bother him.  
But he was fucking tired, too.

Kakashi shook his head, "That's just too bad, Sakura. I'm going with you whether you like it or not. It's for your own safety."

"Do you even meet the criteria to fly to the states? You have to have a passport and sign up for-"

Kakashi waved a hand at her, "Don't worry about what I need. I've got strings I can pull. Go ahead and load your stuff in the trunk. I'm going to change and gather my things—I won't be long. Oh, and just in case..." Kakashi poked his head into the driver's side window, ignoring the taxi driver's yelp of surprise; shutting off the car and pulling the key out of the ignition.

"What the fuck, man?!" The taxi driver shouted, swiping futilely for the key.

"I'll give it back to you," Kakashi pocketed the key. "I'm just keeping it so she doesn't convince you to take off without me."

"I would have waited for you!" He yelled, irritated.

"No, you wouldn't have. She's a bully. I'll be right back."

Sakura said nothing else as Kakashi made his way back into the house; changing into a black t-shirt and sweats as soon as he entered the bedroom. He opened the closet door, pulling out a duffel bag and loading it up. At the same time, he dialed Kiba; putting the phone on speaker and setting it on the bed as he began to pack his things.

The line picked up, "Hello?"

"Kiba. Sakura is flying back to the states."

"Shit," Kiba huffed. "Choji and Lee told me what happened. What the fuck is going on with today man? Did we piss off some elder god?"

"I don't know," Kakashi remarked, stuffing shirts into the duffle bag. "But I'm going with her."

Kiba sighed heavily, "Yeah, I sort of figured you would. Do you know how long you two will be gone for? What are we going to do about Sota and Hisato until then?"

"I have no idea how long we'll be gone for—but she can't go alone. It's too much of a risk. I wouldn't put it past Sota to send his men to the states to get her or worse; kill her. It'd be easy for them, because they don't have to worry about clean up. They can just dump her body wherever and fly back. They could follow and ambush her parents; use them as leverage to get her to go willingly into Sota's arms. There's literally so much bad that can come from this, and even if she feels like I'm infringing on her life; it's what's going to keep her safe." Kakashi shook his head, rolling up socks and wiggling them in the corner of the bag. "As for Hisato—get all the information you can possibly get out of him. As soon as you're sure you've got it all, go ahead and turn him over to the detective so we can cash in. Running into Reiji sort of put us under a spotlight if they get smart and figure out it's Ancient of Days. So, it's better to stay quiet for a little bit, because now they're guard is up. Sota could even take off to his hide out. Once we're done in the states and we come back, we'll strike. Until then, let's learn everything we can from what Hisato will give us; the more prepared we are, the better."

"Tsunade isn't going to be happy about this," Kiba chuckled. "She's going to throw a bitch fit."

"Let her," Kakashi grunted. "She'll get over it. She always does. Oh, and could you take care of the dogs while I'm gone? You have a spare key to the house, right?"

"I do. Do you want me to stay there with the dogs?"

"If that's not a problem," Kakashi yawned.

"No, no problem," Kiba assured. "Just...let me know when you get there, and all that shit. I'll relay the news over to the team. You be safe, and keep a sharp eye out."

"Will do, thank you, Kiba. I really do appreciate it."

"Yeah yeah, just buy me a beer when you get back," Kiba stated casually.

The call ended, and Kakashi took to the bathroom; grabbing all toiletries and shoving them into the duffle bag. Once everything he thought he needed was packed, he zipped up the bag and threw it over his shoulder; cutting off all the lights as he made his way out. He locked the front door, jerking his chin at the taxi driver as he marched to the trunk. "Are her things back there?"

"Uh, n-no...I can't pop the trunk without my key," he stuttered.

"It's okay, I got it," Kakashi pulled the key out of his sweats, wiggling it. He popped open the trunk, tossing his bag in there and going around to the back seat; knocking a knuckle on the window before opening the door.

Sakura sat, staring down at her hands, "What?"

"Hand me your bags, I'll put them in the trunk."

"They're fine up here," She bit softly.

"Now you're just being difficult," Kakashi rebutted. "Just hand me your bags so you have leg room."

"I don't _need _you-"

"Sakura," Kakashi cut sternly. "I'm not trying to hurt you; I'm literally just trying to move your bags for you. You said you don't have time for games, right?"

Abruptly Sakura jerked out of the car, swiveling and pulling bags out; shoving Kakashi as she pushed her way past him to toss the bags in the trunk. Kakashi stood back, watching her go back to grab the remaining bags and chunk them into the trunk.

"There," she growled, slamming the trunk down. "Can we go now? We've wasted too much time." She slid back into the back seat, slamming the door shut.

"Sure," Kakashi sighed, making his way around to the other side and getting in.

Up front, the taxi driver was very obviously tense and uncomfortable. Brown eyes flicked in the rearview mirror, thin eyebrows arched, "Eh...where to?"

"Narita International Airport," Sakura answered with another tight smile.

"You got it," the driver nodded, starting up the car and backing out.

The drive was quiet and tense; Sakura stiff and withdrawn as she looked out the window. Kakashi peered out of his own, his thoughts racing. The man was beyond exhausted, and while he was used to being up for many hours; this particular day had worn on him. He told himself he should be mind blown at what could happen in such a short amount of time, but honestly, he wasn't surprised. Shit like this happened; this time it just happened in succession.

On top of everything, what was starting to nag at the man was the fact that Sakura was planning to simply take off. Had she called the taxi sooner, he would have come home to an empty house with no explanation. He figured, coming as far as they have; she would have at least waited for him to come home to talk to him about it. If he was being honest, it made him feel hurt and angry for multiple reasons. Mainly, the fact that she put herself in danger by calling a taxi _to the house. _That could have been an easy way for one of Sota's men to get ahold of her—they had day jobs as a disguise. If that wasn't bad enough, she used _her real name. _She could have in the very least used a fake name if she was really hellbent on getting a taxi. Her name could be on those records, and any grunt can get ahold of that.

Secondly, _she was going to take off._ Just leave without a single word. Not that she owed it to him, but he never thought she would just take off. Especially now, after everything that happened in the morning. Kakashi felt like they reached a milestone this morning, and now she was behaving as if it never happened. In the back seat, she was inched away from him; leaning on the door and picking at her thumb. If she hadn't rejected him before, she was openly doing it now—for a reason he didn't quite understand. He knew to some degree she must be upset with him, given the situation—and that was understandable. But if she would have agreed to stay instead of insisting on leaving; this is something that could have been easily talked about. This far along, Sakura should know by now that he was a man she could trust and be open with. Then again, the woman did just receive news that her mom was in a wreck and in a coma; so she had reason to be upset and isn't really acting rationally. He understood it, but he was still upset.

He was tired, confused, and upset.

What had started out as a perfect day turned out to be a total shit show; for everyone. He knew he was tired, because for the first time in a long time everything was really getting under his skin. Kakashi knew holding Naruto's bleeding throat and watching the life leave his face had a lot to do with it; so much was going through his head while it was happening. While he did his best to maintain his composure, he couldn't help that tale-tell panic that spread across his chest. The same feeling he felt when he lost each of his loved ones: Obito, Rin, and his father. It was a sickening, familiar feeling that reared its ugly head and took him back to that place of loss again—picking at the scab that was the gaping hole in his chest.

As they headed for the airport, he hoped he didn't lose Sakura, too.


	26. Visit

Sakura couldn't focus.

Her thoughts were scrambled, her emotions were running high, and all she wanted to do was see her parents. While only a small part of her felt bad for being such an ass to Kakashi, she was still brimming with anger. She couldn't wrap her mind around why she was so angry at him particularly, save for her running thoughts that didn't make any sense. She told herself she wasn't going to let the man see her upset, but the closer they got to boarding the plane, the harder it was for her to hold it together. All that kept flashing in her mind was how her mother could possibly look; she had seen enough bad wreck patients to know it wasn't going to be a pretty sight. She worried about her father; how he was handling all of this. While Sakura's dad was a man's man by all means, it's the whole-hearted truth that he would be completely lost without her mother. They've always been two peas in a pod, sharing many years together and becoming stronger as time went. Sometimes Sakura swore they communicated telepathically; they'd have whole conversations with just simply casting glances over to each other. When she was in college and still living with them for a little bit, some nights she'd come home late and hear them laughing among each other; drinking alcohol and watching true crime. Mom would always try to guess who the murder was, what was the motive; while her dad would grunt something about someone needing a good ass kicking.

She loved them as a pair. The thought of one losing the other almost devasted her more than her own loss.

The more she dwelled on it, the more it hurt; the more she just wanted to be there and hug each of them. She didn't know how long it was going to take her mom to heal, and she hoped that she reached them in time before the doctors moved forward with any major decisions. She didn't know how long she was going to stay for—she knew she couldn't stay forever without a job; especially now that she wasn't going to get paid from the hospital in Tokyo until... She hated to think about it. She hated to think about what could happen to everyone because of her. On one hand, she deliberated that maybe she should just give up; stay home for good. She knew it wasn't rational, she knew it wasn't the best choice considering she risked and did so much just to move to Tokyo; to start a whole new life there. How could she have possibly known something like this would happen? Being hunted by a dangerous man? On one hand, she was incredibly thankful for the team; had it not been for them, Sota would have had her already. On the other, she felt so guilty it made her sick. Naruto got shot in the throat- _in the fucking throat._ Hinata could have lost the man she loved, and it was Sakura's fault. He wouldn't have been there, had none of this been set off by her. Maybe if she stayed home, things would be different for the team. Maybe Sota would stop, seeing as she was out of Tokyo for good.

She didn't know.  
She was confused.

On top of it, she didn't know what to do about Kakashi. She didn't want him to come because she didn't want to be around him. She was mad at him, she needed to break away to really think things over. While she tried to tell him she didn't want him to come, the hard determined glint in his eyes told her otherwise. She knew she could argue with him until she was red in the face; nothing was going to change his mind. She didn't know what she was going to tell her dad about him. This morning, she would have happily introduced him as her boyfriend; now, she wasn't so sure. Seeing him covered in blood, something sort of snapped in her head. Could she really be with someone who leads such a dangerous life? Would days with him be a lot like the situation she was in now—always looking over her shoulder, scared for her life? Would there be more frightening instances of someone she cares for getting hurt—or nearly killed? Could she handle that? More so, did she want to? What made it worse, was that while she was unendingly mad at him, she hated that she still felt the same way she did this morning; she loved him. Losing him would devastate her. Just as soon as she opened her heart up and really let him in, she felt like she had to push him out to lessen the sting. She couldn't take a broken heart on top of everything else happening right now. It would completely break her, and she had to protect herself; she had to stay strong for her dad. Because she knew he was going to need her.

While Kakashi talked to the woman at the desk, Sakura turned to break away; stepping in the direction of the restroom when she felt a hand around her wrist. She glanced down at Kakashi's big hand lightly gripping her wrist, his expression earnest, "Where are you going?"

Sakura scowled, pulling her wrist out of his hand, "I'm going to the restroom. Is that okay with you? Do I have your permission?"

Kakashi shook his head tiredly, "You know it's not like that, Sakura."

"Sure," she growled, turning to walk away.

"Be careful," He called after her.

Sakura rolled her eyes, making her way across rows of chairs where people were speckled throughout; sitting, reading, on their phones, or sleeping. It was late, around two in the morning or so. The flight was set to take off at 4, so they made it with just enough time to spare. As she walked, she noticed the random glance or two she got from others; eyeing her gingerly. The more lingering gazes she received, the more brisk her walk became until she was very nearly running. Once she neared the restrooms, she glanced at the women's door, hesitating. Choji's words rung about this being a big risk, and while her guard had not been down, her anxiety shot up. She was attacked once in a women's restroom—at a diner, no less—what's one at an airport? She stepped back, glancing around nervously. She was sure she looked crazy right now, but she had reason to feel that way. Just a little further down, there was a family restroom that she quickly went into; turning around and locking the door shut. She jerked at the door hard several times, making sure it didn't open.

Turning, directly across from her was the mirror sat just atop the sink. She moved forward, sighing heavily when she got a good look at herself. She looked like some crackhead that just got done with a major binger. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, her hair was piled high in one of the messiest buns she had ever seen. Turning on the sink, she carefully splashed cold water on her face; rubbing her eyes heavily and patting her cheeks. After drying her face she tugged her hair out of the bun; detangling it as best as she could with her fingers before tying it up into a high ponytail. Afterwards she braced her hands on either side of the sink; shoulders pinching as her head dipped down.

Sakura just couldn't believe that this was happening.  
She couldn't believe she was in this situation.

Not just the fact that she was actively being hunted by a manic, but that her mom was in critical condition, too. She was in an airport restroom trying to collect herself, trying to make sense of what she was feeling and thinking. Even with Kakashi going with her, she felt incredibly alone in her anxiety and fear. Her heart palpitated and a heat flashed across her chest; tightening rapidly. She clutched her shirt as she started to heave, her vision going blurry from the onslaught of tears. Just as hard as she tried to keep it together, an aggressive sob broke out of her chest.

She couldn't help it.

Sakura stumbled back, feeling dizzy as she tried to anchor herself. Her vison blurred in pulses with the beat of her heart, her breath hitched, and she struggled to calm her breathing. Her shoulders shuddered, backing against the door and crumbling down. She held her head as she wept, her cries bouncing off the walls of the restroom. Her entire body shook erratically, her stomach churning sickeningly. She templed her fingers on either side of her head, propping her elbow on her knees, and closing her eyes. Sakura counted down slowly from ten to one, fighting the hurt that pulsed across all of her senses. She felt stuck, glued in place by her panic and she feared she was going to stay stuck this way forever; lamenting in an airport bathroom, unable to collect herself.

She started counting backwards from ten to one again; breathing in with each number and exhaling slowly with each number. Ten minutes passed of her repeating this process, taking herself down second by second. By the time her cries subsided, there was a gentle knock on the door followed by Kakashi's voice.

"Sakura...?"

She said nothing, leaning her head back against the door and sighing. Carefully she moved to her feet, wiping her sweating palms on her pants as she did.

Two more knocks, "Sakura."

She reached for the hand towels, ripping one down and wiping away her tears, "What."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered coldly, her shuddering voice calling her bluff.

There was a pause behind the door before he spoke again, "Well, we've got to board."

With one last careful glance at her reflection, she blew out a deep breath before turning to unlock the bathroom door and open it. Propped against the wall across from her stood Kakashi, hands in pockets with his left foot pressed back against the wall; standing the same way he stood when she first met him in the patient room, their bags sat by his feet. She watched his eyes rake her over, his brow twitching as he regarded her.

He stepped off the wall, pulling papers out of his back pocket and holding them out to her, "Here. We're boarding just down that way." He jerked his head to the left, silver hair flicking as he did.

Sakura glanced down at the papers, looking at the boarding number and reaching to grab her bags; marching off without a word to Kakashi. As she walked, she could hear him close behind her; a leisure gait compared to her small, quick steps. Passing other people made her nervous, causing her to quicken her pace; to which Kakashi easily kept up to her. She practically bum rushed the woman who was waiting to scan her ticket; her palms sweating and that familiar pang of panic prickling across her skin.

As soon as they boarded and settled in, Sakura moved in to sit beside the window; peering out into the dark. Kakashi nestled into the seat next to her, muttering something to the flight attendant that was passing. Sakura whipped out her phone, shooting a text to her dad that she was on the plane set to take off soon; and that she loved him. Next to her she felt something cold nudge her.

Kakashi held out a bottle of water, "Here."

Sakura turned her head away from him.

Kakashi sighed, "You really don't want some water?"

Sakura leaned away from him, tilting her forehead on the cool glass of the window; closing her eyes. She was exhausted. She wanted to sleep, but she knew she wasn't going to be able to; no matter how hard she tried.

"How are you feeling, Sakura?" Kakashi muttered. "You look tired."

Sakura shook her head, "I have a reason to be tired."

"I know you do," he replied smoothly.

"How could you possibly know? You just agreed to fly to the states with me having no idea as to why."

"I have an idea."

Sakura whipped her head to face him, tired green eyes squinting as she glared, "Did they tell you?"

Kakashi plucked a shoulder lazily, "They did. They had to when they figured out you already booked a flight."

Sakura scoffed, shaking her head, "Of course they did. Unbelievable."

"No, not-"

Sakura held up a hand, "I don't want to talk about this."

Kakashi leaned forward, head cocked to the side, "When do you want to talk about this, Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head, "I don't."

She broke his gaze, turning her head back to the window and leaning away from him. She tucked a knee in and crossed her arms, resting her head against window and closing her eyes. She kept her eyes closed up until the flight attendance instructed to fasten the seatbelts; which she did before going right back to closing her eyes. The plane began to take off, and neither her nor Kakashi spoke for the entire flight.

#####################################################################################

Something rustled, and Sakura woke up to people bustling around her on the plane; grabbing their carry-on items and filing out. Kakashi was stood up, plucking Sakura's bag out of the top shelf and setting it in the seat. She watched as he reached up, the lower part of his shirt lifting to reveal the creamy flesh of his muscled body; that tale-tell V that drove any woman crazy. She hated that her eyes stayed glued there for a minute, her cheeks running hot at the thought of what those muscles could do.

She sat up, shaking her head and rolling her eyes; hating that her body betrayed her once again.

Kakashi glanced down, "Good evening, how'd you sleep?"

Sakura made her way out of the seat, squeezing past Kakashi to stand in the aisle. She stretched hard before grabbing her bag and waiting patiently until a group of women passed; following them out. They had arrived at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, just thirty minutes outside of New York City. As soon as they grabbed the rest of their luggage, they made their way through the thick throng of people to step outside and flag down a taxi. The airport was busy, as always; even at night. Businessmen, people from other countries, and students made their way around the airport in a bustle. Despite it being so crowded, Sakura wasn't nearly as nervous as she thought she was going to be. Maybe it was because she was overly familiar with New York, so she felt safe. She felt there could be no way the men after her would have really gone out of their way to follow her here—had they even known she left. Chances are they're still lurking Tokyo; far, far away from her and her parents.

It took fifteen minutes, but they managed to get a taxi; loading their stuff in and Sakura prattling off some hotel she knew was close to the hospital her mom was at. The drive there was just as tense; no words were spoken between the two and honestly, Sakura was too lost in thought to care. She was nervous and anxious; her stomach doing flips as they got closer. She had planned to call her dad, but her phone was dead when they arrived. She decided that she'd just head straight to the hospital once everything was unpacked at the hotel.

In her peripheral, Sakura caught sight of Kakashi. He had his head tilted back, staring at the roof of the car. His eyes were dark, his hair a mussed mess, and his mouth pressed into a flat line. He looked as though he got no sleep at all; he looked awful. For a second, guilt twisted in her gut again and she wanted to say something to make him feel better. But the moment he lolled his head over to gaze at her, she scowled and whipped her head away. It was only a second.

She didn't feel bad.  
He chose to come along with her. Whether or not he slept wasn't her fault.  
She's not his keeper.  
She didn't care.

She told herself that, anyways.

The taxi pulled up to the hotel, the taxi driver prattling off a fee over his shoulder. Sakura twisted, reaching for her purse at the same time Kakashi pulled out his wallet and handed the man a card. Sakura eyed Kakashi skeptically, "Your card won't work here if it's a Tokyo bank."

Kakashi deadpanned, "I've got more than one bank. We all happen to keep an American bank card just in case jobs require us to fly here."

"Tch," Sakura scoffed. "That's news to me."

Kakashi glanced over, "Because I just told you." Even his tone was tired; strained and holding something that would have nagged her if she didn't want to care so much.

Sakura pulled her bags out of the trunk, ignoring Kakashi when he offered to take them for her and carrying them inside to the front desk; Kakashi close behind.

"Good evening," the receptionist sang, flashing a brilliant smile. She had braided black hair and light brown eyes with olive skin. She had a bit of an accent that Sakura couldn't tell where it was from, and a name tag with "Sofia" printed on it.

"Hi," Kakashi replied with a smile of his own. "We're here to book a room."

Sofia began clicking around on her computer, "Great! We have several options. There's the Standard, the Bronze, the Silver, the Gold, and the Platinum. We're we wanting a one bed room?"

"One bed is fine," Kakashi answered at the same time Sakura cleared her throat.

"Actually," Sakura began. "We want two rooms."

Kakashi turned his head, looking over at Sakura; his expression mildly incredulous, "Are you being serious?"

Sakura continued to speak to Sofia, "Which room has the bath tub and shower?"

"Uh, those would be the Bronze rooms and up, ma'am," Sofia nodded, still smiling from ear to ear.

"Great, I'd like my room to be the Bronze, please."

Sofia began typing, "Alright, can do. Bronze room for the lady and for you sir?" She raised her eyes from the computer to regard Kakashi, who was still staring at Sakura.

"Sakura," Kakashi enunciated. "That's a waste of money. Let's just get one room, if it's really that big of a deal to you we can get a room with two beds."

Sakura let out a huff, rolling her head to the side to glare at Kakashi, "I don't want a room with you. I want my own room."

Kakashi's eyes settled, "That's irresponsible and stupid."

Sakura's brows shot up, "Are you my fucking dad?"

Sofia glanced between the two, her smile faltering, "Excuse me, we have rooms available to do side by side. They're on the fourth floor, but we can do that if you two would like?"

Sakura shook her head, "No. I don't want to even be in a room side by side with you. If you remember, I didn't ask you to come with me. _You_ brought yourself along with me."

Kakashi's brow twitched, "You know full and well why."

"I don't care," Sakura huffed, raising her chin defiantly. "I want my own room and I don't want it to be near you."

Sofia cleared her throat nervously, "Ah, oookkkaaayyy. So, two rooms—not near each other?"

"Not happening," Kakashi bit, turning his attention to Sofia. "We'll take two separate Bronze rooms side by side, please."

Sakura opened her mouth, "I _said_-"

"Sakura," Kakashi snapped lowly, cutting her off. His eyes narrowed; his face hard etched as he regarded Sakura coldly. "It's not up for discussion—and you know why."

Sakura rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and resorting to looking down the lobby. She hated that he was right. She hated that she was mad, and she hated that she couldn't seem to get over it. She hated that she felt trapped, she felt unsafe, and she felt stressed. She hated how long all of this took, and she hated that she wasn't at the hospital with her parents.

There was a gravid pause, the tension thick and awkward as Sofia typed quietly on her keyboard. Five minutes passed until she spoke up lightly, casting an apologetic glance to Kakashi, "I'm sorry, sir, but the rooms we have available side by side are a Standard and Bronze."

Kakashi wrinkled his nose and plucked a shoulder, "I don't even know what Standard is and that's fine with me."

Another beautiful smile stretched across her face, eyes twinkling, "Great! Let me just set this up really quick and I'll hand you two your keys. Both rooms will be on the fourth floor, I hope that's okay."

Kakashi flashed his own toothy smile, "That's fine, thank you for accommodating us."

Sofia giggled, and Sakura's ears nearly perked as she glanced over at the blushing woman. A coy smirk pulled at the corner of her full lips and she winked impishly at Kakashi, "It's no problem." Slowly she slid two keycards across the desk at him, manicured fingernails tapping the cards. "Your rooms are 422 and 423. If you have any issues, or if you need anything...don't hesitate to call me." Another subtle wink.

Sakura's jaw almost dropped to the floor.  
She had nearly forgotten how forward people in America are; especially people from New York. The woman saw a fissure and took her shot. Somehow, this pissed Sakura off even more. She watched carefully as Kakashi grabbed the keycards, tapping them on the desk and giving her a lopsided smile, "Thanks, Sofia." He turned, scooping up his bag and making his way down the hall to pause and press the elevator button.

Sakura cast a withering glance at Sofia, who simply smiled back, "Enjoy your stay!"

"Sure," she grumbled, picking up her own bags and following Kakashi into the elevator; making sure to put a considerable amount of distance between them.

"Here," Kakashi muttered, holding out her bronze keycard. "This is your room, 423."

Sakura snatched the keycard out of his hand, "You and Sofia got along really well."

Kakashi chuckled, running his hand through his hair and shaking his head, "Does it really matter to you, Sakura?"

The elevator slowed to a stop, double doors humming open as she stepped out, "No, I guess not."

She found her way to her room, sliding the keycard in and pushing the door open after the small beep while Kakashi opened his own door. "I guess call her if you need her," Sakura stated sarcastically.

Kakashi scoffed, his tone bitter, "Whatever you say." He walked into his room, shutting the door behind him.

Sakura faltered, standing still and waiting; expecting him to open the door and say something else. Several minutes passed of nothing, and for a moment she felt her heart sink.  
What the fuck was she doing?

Sakura charged into the room, tossing her bags to the side and throwing herself on the bed. The hotel room was fairly nice, the color scheme seemed to be a deep red; thick red curtains, red bed sheets, and a red comforter with red pillow cases. There was a small bedside table that dawned a lamp and a room telephone. A decent sized TV sat atop a small dresser in front of the bed, and to the far-left corner a small circular table with pamphlets of food joints she could order from, as well as a hotel menu, and numbers she could call. The bathroom was pretty standard, bright white with a blow dryer attached to the wall. There was a pretty big bath tub and a shower, along with hospitality bars of soap, and small shampoo bottles. White towels were folded with care in a small shelf above the toilet, along with little plastic cups at the sink.

Even with sleeping on the flight, Sakura was still incredibly tired; but she wasn't about to go to sleep now, not even with how late it was. The time read 10:23 New York time and she was feeling the jet lag. Still, she hooked her phone up to the charger and soon after went to the telephone; dialing her dad's number. Several rings passed before it picked up and her dad's breathing could be heard on the other line.

"Hello?" He answered, confused.

"Dad, it's Sakura—I'm calling you from the hotel phone. Mine died after the plane landed in New York. I just got here, I'm going to brush my teeth and head over there right now."

"Oh, hey there, blossom," Her dad sighed gruffly. "I'm glad you made it here safe."

"How's mom doing?" Sakura pressed nervously, curling the telephone wire around her finger.

"She's..ah, she's...she's still kickin', Sakura. They've got her in braces and casts, but she's still out cold."

"Was the coma induced, dad?"

Kizashi coughed, "Eh, what?"

"Did the doctors tell you if they put her in the coma or was it involuntary?"

"Um...I think they said something along the lines of induced or whatever, I don't know. All I know is that she's still kickin', Sakura, and we've got that going for us," He sounded tired and frustrated. He let out another sigh, "Blossom, don't come to the hospital, it's already late. Shower up, get some sleep, and you can come here first thing in the morning."

"Dad," Sakura started, her tone raising. "You've got to be kidding me. I came all this way to see mom and-"

"And I'm saying that she'll still be here tomorrow morning, so don't worry yourself sick over it. Plus, I don't really want you out at night time by yourself, it's dangerous out there—you know that." His tone was stern, something he often used with her when her emotions outweighed her thinking. It was a tone that leveled her immediately, one she couldn't argue with.

"Fine," Sakura suspired. "But I'll be up _first _thing in the morning. You'll be there, won't you?"

"Blossom," her dad declared softly. "I'll be here as long as your mother is here. I'll never leave her side."

Sakura smiled, fighting back the sting of tears, "I know, dad. I'll call you when I wake up. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sakura. Sleep good."

The call ended, and for several minutes Sakura simply stood there; starting at the phone in her hands. She'd never heard her dad sound so exhausted before; it was drenched in his tone. She wanted to hug him through the receiver, to comfort him in the same way he always comforted her when she was a child. He was always so sure and strong; a good man.

Good men...

Sakura didn't know what to do. She was tired of thinking up ways to rationalize what she was feeling, but she was also tired of feeling it. She wished she could get over whatever crawled up her ass, but she couldn't. She was gearing her anger towards Kakashi, and every instance on this whole trip here was making her angrier—for reason's she didn't know. She was reacting, instead of thinking. She was pushing him away angrily, blaming him for making her feel like a fucking idiot. Was she really safe the whole time she stayed with him? Did instances like Naruto's happen often, and no one was telling her? Was it just one big ploy to get her in bed with him?

Could he really do something like that...?  
Sakura didn't know, and she was too tired to keep mulling it over.

All that mattered was that she was just ten minutes away from the hospital, ten minutes away from her mom and dad. She decided she was going to get up extra early, grab her dad a cup of coffee and some donuts before heading over to see him. The man loved his coffee, and he loved it even more with a classic glazed donut. It was small, but she hoped it would make him feel just a little better; even if for a moment.

Pulling out all her toiletries, Sakura grabbed a T-shirt and went to the bathroom; starting the shower and stepping in when it was hot enough. She stood under the stream, scrubbing her face hard and crying softly.

She hoped she was going to sleep well tonight.  
She doubted she would.

#####################################################################################

As soon as her alarm went off at 6:30AM, Sakura was up. She didn't take long getting ready, as she didn't really care if she looked good or not. She settled for tossing on an old shirt and jeans, throwing her hair up in a high bun. She brushed her teeth quickly, trying to ignore the anxiety that sparked in her chest. She was feeling extremely emotional this morning, and for good reason. Not only will this be the first time she's seen her parents since she moved to Tokyo, but she'll be seeing her mother's condition for herself. Sakura told herself she was going to do her best to stay strong, especially in front of her dad. This was her time to comfort him, not the other way around.

She grabbed her bag, looping it over her shoulder and exiting her room. Part of her was expecting Kakashi to be up and waiting for her, but to her surprise no one was out and his door was still shut. She paused briefly, wondering if she should knock on the door and say something. She held her fist up to the door, deliberating. Did she really want him to be with her right now? This time being with her dad was going to be incredibly personal—a part of her she wasn't sure she wanted him to see. He had already seen so much of her, and still blatantly chose to lie to her—about everything. About being safe, about Sota, about everything—Naruto getting shot was proof enough of that. She was thankful Himari had told her something, otherwise she would be carrying on still blind and lovestruck like some fucking idiot.

She was a fucking idiot.

Sakura lowered her hand, turning on her heel and striding down the hall to the elevator. Once she was on the main floor she exited the hotel, already familiar with where she was at. The hospital her mom is at is one Sakura used to intern at for a little bit before switching to the hospital closer to her apartment. She knew where she was, she knew how to get to the hospital, and she knew where to get coffee and donuts. Typical to New York, the streets were full of people; walking here and there, to work, from work, shops, and the like. She blended in easily with the crowd, finding her way to a small coffee shop she used to frequent when she interned at the hospital. She ordered coffee for her dad just how he liked it; hot, tall, and blonde. Once the donut was ready she snagged the bag off the counter and took off once again; briskly making her way to her parents.

The closer she became, the more nervous she was. She wished the circumstances were different. She wished that she was visiting them on holiday. She wished that her mom was well, cooking up hot meals and tea. Instead, she was nearly there in seeing her distraught father and comatose mother. Sakura reached the hospital main entrance, pulling up to the front desk where two male nurses sat chatting among each other.

"Hi," Sakura began. "I'm here to visit Mebuki Haruno- I'm her daughter."

"Mebuki Haruno," the nurse to the left echoed, typing into the computer. "Do you have an ID?"

Sakura set the coffee on the counter, quickly whipping out her ID to hand to the man. He inspected it briefly, handing it back lazily and jerking his head to the right. "Elevators are at the very end of the hall on the right. Your mom is on the second floor, room 252."

"Thank you," Sakura nodded, grabbing the coffee again and basically running down the hall.

When she stepped into the elevator, she wasn't surprised to see other nurses there, too. Some filed out while two others walked in with her. She leaned forward, pressing the second-floor button before putting herself in the far-left corner. She clutched the donut bag tightly in her hand, practically tearing at the paper bag with how hard she was gripping it. She had butterflies in her stomach, and she could swear the other two people in the elevator could hear her heart pounding. It felt like a life-time being in that elevator, and when the doors opened, she had to fight the urge to elbow her way out.

Sakura was scanned in through the locked double doors by some nurses, and before she knew it she was standing in front of the room labeled 252. She stayed there for several beats; taking deep, deliberate breaths. Slowly, she squeezed the door handle and walked in.

The room was still pretty dark when she walked in, save for the typical lights that remained on from machines in a hospital room. The TV in the corner played dully, with an all too happy weather man gushing over the day's forecast. Her father was slumped on the small couch tucked into the nook by the window, snoring loudly. Carefully she set the coffee and donut down on the counter by the sink, pulling back the curtain that was around the front half of hospital bed.

Her heart broke instantly.

Mebuki was covered in tubes and wires; seemingly wrapped up in all sorts of braces and casts. The heart monitor ticked off in slow, light beeps and a tube was in her mouth while a machine behind her helped her to breathe. Her face was covered in deep red scratches, along with a bald spot right in the middle of her head where Sakura was sure she had a gash and the doctors had to suture it. The loving, sunshiny woman was dull and grey. Sakura could feel her lip tremble and her hands shake as she neared the bedside, very delicately taking her mother's limp hand in hers.

"Mom," Sakura sniffed, running her free hand down Mebuki's arm.

From the couch, her dad jolted awake instantly; glancing around before his eyes settled on Sakura. He stood up right away, striding over to her and pulling her tight into his arms. Sakura embraced her father, squeezing him just as tight and whispering that she loved him. They held each other this way for a while, rocking back and forth while her dad muttered that he missed her so much. Holding him, she could smell that familiar smell that was uniquely her dad; leather and cigars. It was instantly comforting, and instantly heartbreaking. She wanted nothing more to turn and hug her mother tightly; but she couldn't.

Eventually the pair detangled, and Sakura managed to keep herself glued together. Her father smiled weakly at her before his eyes really took her in; roving over the scars on her cheek and neck. He frowned deeply and pointed at them, "What's with these, Sakura? Did something happen?"

"Oh, well...You know how clumsy I am, dad. I was in the shower, I slipped and fell against the knobs and I-" Sakura fumbled with her words, unable to come up with a good excuse. She was always bad at lying, and her father almost always saw right through it.

Kizashi scrutinized her sharply, "That wouldn't cause those, Sakura. Did something happen to you in Tokyo?"

Sakura did her best to laugh, "Dad, you're over thinking it. I slipped and fell—and i just happen to get cut up really bad, that's all. I guess I just scar easy. So, ah—have the doctors updated you on anything about mom? Did they say when they would wake her back up?"

Kizashi scowled at her, but otherwise took the bait, "Yes. They came in around six this morning and a nurse told me that they'll keep her asleep at least for three more days—then they'll wake her up and go from there."

"Tell me again all the damage she has?" Sakura's tone took on that of the same one she uses with patients. It felt easier to regard it that way, as to not get so emotional. She knew if she broke in front her dad, he might break even more. He was a do-it-all man, and she was sure he was feeling pretty useless right now. Sakura being a bumbling mess was the last thing he needed.

Kizashi scratched the back of his head, brows pulling down, "She's got some broken ribs, she had a huge gash on the top of her head, some fractured bones, and a lot of cuts all over her body from the glass."

Pink brows pulled down in focus, "So no punctured organs?"

Her dad shook his head, "I mean, the doctors didn't say anything like that, so I guess not. They'd say that if she did, right?"

"Yes," Sakura affirmed, nodding slowly. "When the doctor comes in here, I'll ask them more questions. In the meantime..." She maneuvered herself around her dad, reaching for the chart at the end of her bed and going over it intensely.

"I knew you were going to do that," Kizashi chuckled, turning to point at the coffee and donut. "Are these for me?"

"Huh?" She glanced back, "Oh, yes. Just like you like it."

A smile stretched across his face as he nodded, "You're the best, blossom. I'm sorry you had to fly all the way over here—especially now because the doctors are sort of talking like things will work out a little more smoothly for your mom. When she was first in here it was all panic and hellstorm—no one really knew what the fuck was happening, especially not me. The dust has settled and they're saying things should look up as long as she heals properly—which could take months. She may need rehab, too, they said."

"She might, just to help out with getting her back on her feet. You know, dad, she's going to need a lot of care when she gets home. I've been thinking about it and...maybe I should move back. I could stay back home with you and help you out with mom, take the load off of your shoulders some." Sakura set the chart down and turned to Kizashi whose cheek was stuffed with donut.

Kizashi swallowed down the donut, shaking his head aggressively as he did, "No, that's not happening, blossom. It's been your life's goal to make it big in Tokyo—you shouldn't have to throw it all away just because you feel obligated to. Besides, the doctor was saying we can hire someone to come and take care of her while I'm gone at work."

"I'm your daughter, of course I'm obligated to help you two when you need it. Why pay for someone to do what I'm highly trained for? Plus, I really miss you two and-"

"Sakura," her father titled seriously, eyes narrowing. "That's not up for discussion. I love you, and yeah I sure as shit miss you, but I'd be lying if I said you moving back wouldn't disappoint me. You've come so far and worked so hard; don't stop now just because things get rough for us. Your mother and I are strong, you're strong. We'll get through this. Don't put your entire life on hold for us. It's not worth it, you'd be fucking yourself over if you did that."

Sakura missed this.

Anytime she needed to talk to her dad, she could always count on him to give it to her straight. The man always said what he was thinking, and it was always the honest truth. While fear drove her into thinking moving back would be the best option, rationality said that she would indeed be fucking herself over. She hated to think that she couldn't stay home to take care of her mom, but she understood it was a catch 22. On one hand, her dad was incredibly proud and would take the help personal. On the other, she would in a sense be throwing all her hard work and dreams away. Granted, she'd do it in an instant because she loved her parents—but she understood his logic.  
Plus, she hated hearing him toss the disappointment word around. While it was used once in a blue moon when Sakura was really off her rocker; it never failed to knock her down a couple pegs.

As well, despite everything going on in her life right now, the dream still stayed the same; she wanted to be in Tokyo, living her best life possible. She wanted to climb the ranks in the medical field, and eventually she'd want to raise a family there. Tokyo was all she ever dreamed of and more; and no big city is safe from its bad guys... Still, she worried. Would she be able to lead a normal life after all of this is over? Or would she constantly be looking over her shoulder, worried about the next attack? Could she go back, knowing she was the reason good people were getting hurt?

She still didn't know.

The rest of the day passed slowly while Sakura and her dad sat in the hospital room; switching in between chatting and catching up to watching whatever was on the TV. Nurses came in to do their rounds, openly stressed when Sakura would grill them with a series of questions and answering to the best of their ability. She asked when a doctor would be in, to which one nurse stated that the doctor was out for the day but would be back tomorrow; which frustrated her. She wanted answers out of the horse's mouth. If she had a doctor give it to her straight, she'd feel a lot better. She already felt slightly better at the notion that the coma was induced—that meant that she can be easily woken up again, which meant the world to Sakura. Had she just been in a coma, it was all up in the air. This was a situation that was being handled, and despite the ache in her chest, she felt the slightest bit hopeful.

Her dad was right.  
They're strong.


	27. Breaking

Exhausted was a fucking understatement.

While Sakura eventually dozed off on the flight, Kakashi didn't sleep a wink. The full 17-hour flight, he couldn't sleep; he couldn't even doze off. There was no way he was able to shut off his mind, not to mention he was on guard higher than he'd ever been before for multiple reasons. Though Sakura's mother's wreck could have been just a horrible accident, a part of him felt like it wasn't a coincidence. This far into the game, he knew better by now. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him, too. Sota has gone weeks now with no luck at snagging the target of his intentions—probably the longest it's taken him to capture someone. While they did their best to protect Sakura, Kakashi was sure that Sota got ahold of her information in some manner by now. He was sure this was an attack on Sota's part—an effort to really get Sakura in his hands. It was a shitty circumstance all around. The same man that the team had been assigned to target, was now the same man who wanted nothing more than to hurt Sakura—who was Kakashi's neighbor, who became the woman he loved. How all of this happened, how all of this got wrapped up Kakashi really didn't know—things like this just happened; call it fate or what you will. All he knew was that this needed to be handled as soon as possible because, Himari was right; Sakura could potentially carry this with her for the rest of her life. The way she was acting was proof enough of that.

If the woman had given him the cold shoulder before, she was really doing it now. She barely spoke a word to him, and when she did they practically dripped with venom. That steel gate was back down, and it was reinforced, too. Kakashi tried to really gage her, to read her and come to his own understanding on what he needed to do to help her—but he was falling short. The whole trip to the states wore him down even further, and by the end of it he was beyond irritable; angry, even. Angry that she was lashing out on him, angry that he mildly understood why, and angry that she wasn't talking to him about it. He knew she felt smothered, and while he gave her his space, he worried that she'd take a mile out of that inch; pushing him out forever. Because, if he was being honest, that's what it felt like to him. Sakura was pushing him out harder than she'd ever done before, and for the first time in a long time the man didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to approach her, as he'd never seen her this upset before; she had never behaved this way with him before. He felt like he was walking on eggshells, and that made him even angrier; which was so unlike him. With Sakura, and with anything really, Kakashi was always really understanding; handling whatever the situation was coolly. He was becoming unglued in a manner that reminded him of his time with Yua. Sakura's harshness as akin to Yua's, which made him even angrier because he knew Sakura was better than that. Had she simply given him the time to talk, this whole experience could have been different. At least, he thought so. A part of him wondered if talking would even do it, with the way she was acting.

Especially with her petty jab about the hotel receptionist.

Kakashi never pegged Sakura as the jealous type by any means, but he wondered what must have been going through her head for her to assume something like that. By that point, she was just finding reasons to further her being upset with him—which told him that maybe she didn't really have an idea as to why she was behaving that way she was. He knew her well enough by now to know that, while Sakura was pretty emotional, she was equally rational. Even in high stress, she'd always been able to be talked down and come to an understanding. For some reason, it was as though she didn't want to be not mad. She needed something to funnel everything through—the anxiety, the fear, the anger, the stress...And that funnel was directed straight at Kakashi. Which only made him angrier.

To top it all off, she was behaving as if she wasn't being hunted by an incredibly dangerous man. She was making decisions without talking to him, calling taxis to his house, and booking flights behind his back. If he were being honest, he felt betrayed to a degree. Sakura and Kakashi had come to a mutual understanding about her situation, and he thought that she knew this was all temporary until everything was taken care of—and now she was acting like he had her chained up in the basement. She was acting like he'd only ever meant to hurt her, and to some degree he wondered if maybe he was. On the flight, his argument with Himari rolled around in his head. The team had come to an agreement to keep all dealings with Sota to themselves as to not stress Sakura out—but now he was thinking that maybe it would have been better had some gotten some idea. She really didn't even know much about the jobs they went on, save for they can be dangerous; but Sakura's dangerous and the team's dangerous are two totally separate things. Additionally, he figured out there was a deep part of him that was honestly afraid Sakura would run if she had a real grasp on what was happening, what he does, and what it could entail. He owed it to her to be fully honest, and if he lost her in the process, maybe it wasn't meant to be.

He really hoped it wasn't the case.

The moment he stepped into the hotel room, Kakashi shot a text to Kiba that he was in the states and he'll call him later; following up with a long shower and trying his hardest to go to bed. He would be lying if he didn't say that lying in bed without Sakura wasn't lonely, but he was also feeling so angry that his pride told him to stay there. He tossed and he turned until he finally fell asleep around 2 in the morning.

When he woke up, it was to his phone ringing loudly. He rolled over, picking it up and rasping into it groggily, "Hello?"

"I have been _trying _to get _ahold _of you!" It was Ino.

Kakashi leaned back on his arm, turning his head to peer out the window into the bustling city, "Sorry, Ino. I was passed out."

Ino huffed, "I'm surprised, I thought you'd be up by now."

"Yeah," Kakashi yawned loudly. "I hadn't slept a wink since the night before Naruto got shot. I didn't sleep on the flight, and I didn't fall asleep until like two or whatever."

"Jesus Christ, that sounds rough."

"I've dealt with worse. What's up, did you need something?"

"Oh, yeah—well, I've been trying to get ahold of Sakura and she's not answering her phone. I've been trying to call you, but you weren't picking up, so I got worried," Ino tittered. "Once I found out about Sakura's mom, I got pretty worried about her. Sooo, to make a long story short I'm just following up to see how you two are doing. Is she still asleep, too?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen her since last night," Kakashi shook his head.

"What? What do you mean, you two got a hotel room, right?"

Kakashi sighed, "She wanted her own hotel room."

"Why?"

"Because she said she didn't want to be near me. I had to fight her just to make sure the rooms were side by side in case anything happened."

Ino gasped, "What is her deal? Why would she say that?"

"She's mad at me, I think. It all started when Himari told her about Naruto and the job. Choji and Lee said she was really standoffish to them the whole time after, and anything she said to me if she talked at all was pretty hateful. I tried to talk with her about it, but she said she doesn't want to," Kakashi explained tiredly, feelings of frustrating stirring in the pit of his stomach.

"Well," Ino sang. "Did you say anything to her to piss her off?"

Kakashi scoffed, "No. By the time I got home after everything happened, she had already booked a flight to the states—without telling me or anyone. She also called a taxi—_had it come to the house, and used her real name._ She just did all that with no regard to any of us, her safety—nothing. I tried to get her to change her mind and stay and talk; but you know how Sakura is."

Ino sighed, "Yeah, I know. She's stubborn as all get out. So, she's not talking to you or anything? If she's not with you, do you know where she's at?"

Kakashi bit the inside of his cheek, "I wouldn't doubt it if she took off to the hospital already, Ino."

There was a brief pause before Ino continued, "Shouldn't you be with her...?"

"I should. But anytime I try to do something, she snaps at me. She literally told me, 'are you my fucking dad.' I honestly don't know what to do. If I give her space, she'll push me out. If I keep an eye on her, she'll resent me. I try to talk to her, she snaps at me. I can't win and I'm at a loss."

"Wow," Ino breathed. "That's the most you've opened up to me in like...ever."

"Yeah, well...I don't know what to do. Not to mention, I have a hunch that the wreck Sakura's mom was in had something to do with Sota. Have they interrogated Hisato at all?"

"Mmh," Ino grunted with an exhale. "I don't know. We're short staffed at the hospital, so I've been having to pull full time hours. Between there, and other jobs I'm being assigned, I haven't had the time to pop in and ask—no one's said anything to me, either. You're better off calling Neji or Gaara for that one. Kiba probably knows something, too. We're all really worried here, so I'm glad I was able to get ahold of you...Also, Tsunade wanted me to ask you if you think we need to send a couple people over there with you? If Sota's men are there, you'll need back up in case anything happens."

Kakashi rubbed his stubbled jaw, "That would be ideal, but it's a bad idea at the same time. Not only would it piss Sakura off more, but I think that we need more people there in Tokyo right now. This is a good time to get the rest of his men, leaving the two brothers and just Sota. As soon as I'm back, we can finish off with the big jobs. If Sota gets smart and figures out the team, you'll need all the bodies there you can possibly have. I'll handle everything here."

"Do you really think Sota had something to do with the wreck?"

"I mean, I don't know. We can't rule anything out right now. Do me a favor, and relay over to Kiba to ask Hisato about that—see if he knows anything. I feel like things were going too smoothly for a while, and now shit is hitting the fan. I wouldn't be surprised if Neji or Shino got jumped by some grunts, since they were there at the job. Everyone needs to keep a really sharp eye out."

Ino clicked her tongue, "Roger that. I'll talk to Kiba as soon as this call is done...As far as Sakura goes, I honestly don't know what to tell you, Kakashi. She's going through a lot, so she's probably freaking out and she's lashing out on you. That's not an excuse, I'm just pointing out the obvious. Maybe once her mom gets better, she'll simmer down and you two can talk it out. If she still doesn't want to talk, make her sit and listen. I don't mean tie her up, but I mean she can handle a little abrasion. You don't have to treat her like this delicate little flower all the time- I understand why you do, but I'm saying that some instances call for a little force. Don't like, corner her or anything like that—but you know what I mean. Sometimes she can be so stubborn that you have to get mad and mean just for her to listen to you. No offense, but you've been sort of just really gentle and tender and soft with her—and I think this time around calls for her to see you mad. Maybe if she really saw and heard you, she'd come to understand she's being an asshat."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, "I don't think that would work, Ino. She'd sooner cut my dick off before she-"

"I'm just saying," Ino cut with a chuckle. "You of all people should know what women like. I think that after her attack at the diner, you sort of backed away from being the typical assertive Kakashi we've all come to know. Sakura is probably really scared, confused, and unsure of what is going on or what she's thinking. Showing some assertion would probably ground her, if we're being honest. Don't call her names or go fucking crazy, but—you know. Just approach her like you'd approach any one of us. If you get a little angry, let yourself be angry. You can't mask how you feel, or not do things, because it might upset her. Give her credit where credit is due—she can handle a lot more than you think she can."

"What if I lose her?" Kakashi immediately uttered.

Ino suspired, "Then you lose her. You did the best you could, and at least you know that. If she really cares about you, she'll accept the entire package. And that goes for you, too. If you really care for her, you care for all of her—good seasons and bad."

"I can't believe you're giving me advice that doesn't have to do with sex," Kakashi chortled lowly.

Ino laughed loudly, "It's rare, but it does happen. Shit, if you two talk it out then maybe you can have really hot make up sex."

"There she is," Kakashi deadpanned, monotone.

"Anyways, keep me updated. It's really late here, so I've got to go. Have Sakura call me if you can."

"Bye, Ino." Kakashi hung up the phone and set it down; letting out a huge, heavy sigh.

Ino had a point.

Seeing Sakura attacked the way she was, something clicked in his brain. He felt afraid to trigger her, and he didn't want her to associate him with the damage she took on—so he sort of was extra careful with her. Granted, Sakura was a woman who opened up more easily to tender things; but he had held back a lot just because he wanted to protect Sakura. Maybe he was tiptoeing when he needed to be upfront and real—and if she walked, she walked.

It hurt him, but really there was no other way.

Kakashi got out of the bed, opening the door to his room and going over to Sakura's room; knocking lightly. He waited for several beats before knocking again, still with no answer. He shook his head, turning to go back into his room where he got dressed quickly. He knew Sakura had to be at the hospital, and while he felt it was irresponsible of him to not be there; he didn't necessarily feel welcome. He grabbed his phone, finding Sakura's contact and staring at it for a solid minute; deliberating if he should call or text her. Chances are, if she wasn't answering Ino's calls, she wasn't getting service inside the hospital. Plus, she'd most likely ignore him—especially if today is the first day seeing her parents.

With a sigh he pocketed the phone, exiting the hotel room and making his way down the hall to the elevator. He decided that he was going to get a good scope of the area, remembering joints where the Yakuza would frequent. He knew they had people in the US, all over the place; New York happened to be a hot spot for them, too. He figured if he knew what was around him, he'd know what to keep an eye out for or make sure Sakura would avoid. He figured he'd rather be doing something productive, instead of sitting around a hotel room all day.

Besides, if he were being honest, there was the smallest, pettiest part of him that didn't want Sakura to think he was just sitting around waiting for her. Granted, he loved her and he'd do anything for her, but it was still a thought that flashed through his mind.

He hated it, but it was there. He hated that he was angry when he had nothing but love for her, but he was done stifling how he felt. He was allowed to feel what he was feeling, and he was justified in feeling it. He only hoped he was going to be able to voice it before it really got to him.

The last thing he wanted to do was blow up.

* * *

The day passed rather uneventfully for Kakashi. He'd been to New York several other times before on jobs, so he wasn't totally unfamiliar with his surroundings. He did well to scope out several blocks, around both the hotel they were staying in and the hospital he assumed Sakura's parents were in considering the hotel was so close to it. He made mental notes of joints he'd ask Gaara about (Gaara came to New York all the time) to see if they had any hand in Yakuza work. The more he really understood the area around him, the better. And even though for the most part he was productive, he couldn't help the guilt he felt twist in his stomach.

Throughout the entire day, he was constantly worried about Sakura. He worried if she was doing okay, he worried if she was safe, and he worried about her mom. It had become a flip flop of emotions for him, going between feeling guilty and worried to angry and frustrated. He did his best to remain as calm about it as possible, but it was a feat he was finding to be incredibly hard. He even managed to step inside a couple clothing stores, grabbing himself some clothes and shoes he could use at the gym in the hotel. He figured as much Sakura wasn't going to give him the time of day, and he needed something to do before going to bed.

And that's exactly what he did.

It was around 6PM when he got back to the hotel, making his way back up to his room and changing into the new workout clothes he bought. He didn't even pause to check if Sakura was in her room as he went back down into the lobby, past the receptionist deck to the opposite hall where the gym sat. He began his workout immediately, happily letting the burn of his muscles distract the burning in his mind. He needed to clear his head, not just from Sakura but from everything else, too. He felt there was a bigger picture he was missing, and wondered when anyone from the team was going to call him about Hisato. He told himself he was going to call Shino to see where they were at, what information they've gathered, and where they can go from there. He wondered how long Sakura was planning on staying in New York for, and groaned internally at having to ask her about it. Chances are she'd take it personal, but there was so much at stake at the moment that he needed to know. This was the closest to Sota they've been in a long time, seeing as how the rat bastard always managed to slip out of their grasp at the last minute. This was their big catch, the last step in getting ahold of him and turning him in for good; shutting down that chapter just like the detectives wanted. Not only would everyone cash in pretty big, but this would be a load off of the team's shoulders. Handling Sota's case in lieu of other jobs has been a pain in the ass for everyone, not to mention the guilt they all felt hearing he kidnaped another woman.

This fucker had to be stopped, and they were without a doubt going to stop him.

Kakashi was two and a half hours into his workout when he finally stopped, covered in sweat and feeling every one of his muscles burn. He was thankful for the distraction, even if it was for a little bit. He made his way back to his hotel room, peeling off his clothes and taking a long hot shower as he mulled over what he was going to say to Sakura. He wasn't sure if he should talk to her about it today, considering all things. He thought maybe he'd catch her tomorrow when she came back, and just really let it all out on the table. He had to admit, he actually felt nervous at the notion of talking to her. He didn't want anything to get out of hand, considering Sakura was just spitting out whatever came to her mind. He wanted to be clear and deliberate with her, making sure there was no room for her to misconstrue anything. The conversation was going to be make or break for them, and he couldn't help the sinking feeling he felt at the thought of it. It had been so long since he'd let himself get attached to someone like this, and he remembered why. His life, his line of work, wasn't your nine to five desk job. The shinobi life was incredibly dangerous as it was equally rewarding—not something someone from the outside would ever really understand. For a second, he felt that Sakura had a handle on what he did, but thinking back on it now he understood she grasped it a little too easily. The details were spared, and that was his fault. Sakura was strong, he knew that. He just hoped she was strong enough to live a life beside him. He hoped she was strong enough to get over that anxiety and let him in, understand that he's only here to help her and support her. He hoped she understood they could be a team.

He hoped.  
If all else failed, should she not, then he supposed it's as the old saying goes; it's better have loved and lost.

By the time Kakashi was done in the shower, the water was splattering ice cold droplets across his burning skin; sending goosebumps all over his body and causing him to jerk the knob shut. He got out, dressing in just sweats before plopping down on the bed and grabbing his phone; dialing up Shino's number. The line rang until it was forwarded to an automated voicemail, as Shino never recorded his voice for anything. The guy was as equally prepared as he was paranoid. Cursing under his breath, he found Neji's contact and dialed; warranting him the same automated voicemail he had gotten with Shino. He rolled his eyes, dialing up Kiba's contact next and breathing a sigh of relief when he picked up.

"Hey," Kiba answered, the sound of crunching echoing into the phone as though he were eating something.

"Yo," Kakashi replied evenly. "Where's Shino and Neji? I was just trying to get a hold of them."

"They're both on a job snagging the rest of those grunts you all left behind," Kiba chirped. "We wanted to get them out of the way before we did anything else."

"That's smart and all, but what's the deal with Hisato? Has anyone interrogated him yet?"

"Woah, someone's got attitude. What crawled up your ass? The king of cool, moody and rude? Has hell frozen over?"

Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "No. I'm sorry. Things have been sort of rough here, and it's just been getting to me."

"I heard," Kiba commented casually, voice muffled from food.

"Ino," Kakashi drawled lazily, unsurprised.

"Ino," Kiba echoed in the same manner. "I also heard that you want us to ask Hisato about Sakura's mom's wreck? Do you really think he'd go out of his way to have someone across the globe do his dirty work?"

"It's been done before," Kakashi remarked with a shrug of his shoulder. "If he's getting desperate, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd pull a trick like that. All of this seems really fishy, so we've really got to get the ball rolling here. We don't have any time to spare."

"That's the thing," Kiba began with another crunch. "We in the past two days have had an influx in jobs come in that we've all been assigned to do. Tsunade has made it clear these are high priority jobs we've got to complete before we take the time to interrogate Hisato."

Kakashi started, "Are you fucking kidding me? Has Sota not been the team's top job since all of this started? Why are we pushing something that's important like that back? What are you doing with him, just keeping him in the basement?"

"Don't bitch at me for something I already know," Kiba bit. "We don't like it any more than you do, but our hands are tied. These jobs are from other chapters, they're big deals, and we can't not do them right now. We've projected that we'll be done with them in five days, tops. In the meantime, yes—we've got him in the basement and we're starving him. We figured once we get to him, he'll really cave. You know, break him down before we actually break him down. As soon as these are done, we'll talk to him. Besides, you're across the fucking globe right now, what good are you to us here?"

"What good? How about the fact that Sota could have men here, just waiting to get their hands on Sakura. They could take her out—easy. It would be better to know what the guy's got planned so we can plan around that—if we need to fly back sooner or not. I don't want to stay here longer than we have to, with everything up in the air. We'd be making a big mistake not talking to him right now."

Kiba snorted, "Again, you're preaching to the fucking choir. But you told Ino that it's not a bright idea to send people over, and now we've all got jobs we've got to take care of. That's your mistake, is it not?"

"No one told me that there was an influx in jobs, all of a sudden," Kakashi ground out, standing to pace around the room.

"That's because Ino was at work when she called you, she didn't know, yet. Plus, if you're so worried about Sakura getting hurt—shouldn't you be with her?"

Kakashi shook his head, "It's not that easy, Kiba. She'll lose her shit with the way she's acting right now."

"Tch," Kiba scoffed. "Get over it. It's not like you two have even fucked, it's nothing to get so hung up over...oooorrrr have you?"

Kakashi snorted, irritated, "That's not what we're talking about right now, so don't even go there."

Kiba gasped loudly, "You _have!"_

"My fucking god," Kakashi lamented, rolling his eyes heavily. "I don't understand why you're acting so casual here, Kiba. I'm telling you; something is really off and we can't waste any more time."

"Because, unlike some people, I don't get my panties in a wad. Besides," Kiba's tone leveled, taking on a more serious note, "you know my hands are tied. Tsunade made it final, there's nothing any of us can do unless we want to usurper her. He's not going anywhere; we've got him locked up. The detective is aware that we are going to interrogate him, and then they'll take the fucker off of our hands and we can all cash in. I think that you're letting everything really get to your head, and over thinking it. Sakura's mom getting in a wreck at the _same time _Naruto gets shot is just a shitty coincidence and nothing else. Think about it, if Sota is already not under the good graces of the Yakuza boss—would he really be allowed to command other Yakuza groups that he had no jurisdiction over across the globe to do his bidding? No. They'll sooner cut his dick off for overstepping the boss. You know that."

Kakashi paused, blowing out a big breath of air and cursing the heavens. Tsunade, while she was a good head of the chapter, often pulled cards like this at random. Sometimes, it never made any common sense to Kakashi and he wondered from time to time if she was just honing in on big cash jobs with other chapters. She felt a duty to Ancient of Days as a whole, and always prioritized chapters over what the detectives would ask them to do. He couldn't blame her, but he hated it. The longer it took to talk to Hisato, the longer things were uncertain—something that can't happen. Not having at least an idea meant anything could happen.

"Kakashi," Kiba titled with a sigh of his own. "Try to relax, man. We've got this more handled than you realize. Sure, we've got a little hang up with these jobs and Tsunade; but it's not the first and it won't be the last. You know how it goes. In the meantime, stop being a baby back bitch and just take care of Sakura over there. She'll get over herself eventually."

"I guess you're right," Kakashi muttered, pausing in front of the big window of his hotel room to peer out.

"Geeze, get yourself together. You're supposed to be talking some sense into me, not the other way around," Kiba chuckled lightly, the sound of Akamaru's throaty woof in the background.

"You're right, you're right," Kakashi digressed. "Call me and keep me updated. Let me know the moment Hisato is interrogated. The sooner I know what he knows, the better I'll feel. How's Naruto doing?"

"Five days, tops," Kiba repeated. "And ah, you know how Naruto is. He's awake and as annoying as always. He won't shut the fuck up about not even feeling the pain of the bullet or some shit like that. He's talking everyone's ear off, even when he's supposed to be shutting the fuck up so his throat can heal. Himari had to drug him up some so he'll be quiet, but now he's just loopy. They said they'll discharge him in a couple days or so, and Hinata will take care of him from there. All in all, he's doing good—which we're all really happy about...So, you and Sakura fucked, hhmm? When did you find the time to do that? Honestly, I'm offended you didn't even tell me—as your friend, you're supposed to tell me these-"

Outside, Kakashi could hear the faint beep of Sakura's door opening. He muttered a quick bye to Kiba in the middle of him drawling on about friends don't keep secrets, tossing the phone on his bed and opening his door to step out. Sakura was halfway through her door, several red bags over her wrists rustling as she carried them in.

"Sakura."

She froze midstep, whipping her head to regard him, pink brows tightening, "Oh. You're still here."

Kakashi fought back the urge to roll his eyes, otherwise continuing to speak, "You went shopping?"

She raised the bags, her expression bitterly sarcastic, "It looks that way."

Kakashi cleared his throat, "I did some shopping today, too." Internally he wanted to slam his head against the wall. He'd never been so derailed before a day in his life. He felt like a fucking idiot.

"Wow," Sakura breathed fecklessly, eyes wide. "This conversation is thrilling, but I've got better things to do. If you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

"Wait," Kakashi blurted, taking a step closer to her.

Sakura took a step back, eyelids lowered midway incuriously, "What, Kakashi."

"How's your mom?"

Sakura paused, and he could tell she was deliberating telling him anything at all. Several beats passed before she plucked a shoulder, "She's bad, but not as bad as I thought it was going to be."

Kakashi tried to smile, making his tone influx as he spoke, "That's great to hear, I was worried. Is she still in a coma?"

Sakura nodded, adjusting her stance, "Yes, but the good news is the coma was induced by the doctors. Dad said that they're planning on waking her up in a couple days."

"That's really great news, Sakura. I'm really glad to hear it's not as bad as we anticipated."

Sakura's eyes narrowed, her tone icy as she spoke, "We? No—me. You didn't know shit until they told you something."

Kakashi sighed, "Were you even planning on telling me to begin with? Or just take off like I caught you doing? It doesn't mean I don't care."

She crossed her arms, left foot jutted out, "Do you though?"

Kakashi's brows twitched down in disbelief, head jerking as he gazed at her, "Are you kidding me? Why would you even say something like that."

"You know what, I'm not in the mood for this," she growled, raising a palm at him. "I'm really tired, I really want to go to bed."

Kakashi took another step forward, noting the brief second her eyes raked his form before flicking back up to glare at him. He had been wearing just his sweats, and for a small second it was a win for him. "We can't keep doing this, Sakura. We need to talk."

"I don't _want _to talk," She sneered, squinting at him. "I _want_ to go to bed."

Kakashi deadpanned, mimicking Sakura's action and crossing his arms over his chest, "You're being a real asshole, you know that?"

Sakura gasped, jaw dropping, "_I'm_ being an asshole?"

"Yes," Kakashi remarked coolly, chin raised. "You are."

Sakura's gaze burned angrily, "Fuck. You."

Kakashi started.  
He didn't want it to happen like this. He planned to talk to her tomorrow, but tensions were high and the ball was in his court. Anger rose up like burning flames, smoldering deep in his chest. He was going to nip this in the bud for good.

"Fuck _me_," Kakashi echoed, his tone dark and edged in steel. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them as he spoke, "You really want to go there, Sakura? After everything I've done for you?"

Sakura scoffed, "Everything you've done for _me?_ What have you done, besides lie to me?"

Kakashi scowled, silver brows drawn down deep, "When have I ever lied to you, Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head, "I'm not doing this with you."

"Oh, you're doing it with me. I'm not leaving until we get this all out on the table."

"No, I'm not," Sakura bit, turning on her heel and walking through her open door. She tossed the bags on the ground, swiveling to slam the door shut.

Kakashi pressed his palm flat against the door, pushing it back open and entering the room; letting the door swing shut behind him, "Don't shut me out."

Sakura's expression twisted, "Get out. I don't want you in here."

Kakashi shook his head, "That's too bad. Now, tell me: when have I ever lied to you?"

In an instant Sakura was charging at him, planting two small hands on his chest and shoving him back with each word, "GET. OUT."

Just as quickly, Kakashi's hands shot up; gripping her wrists, pulling her forward, and pinning them together behind her back. Her face was red, her eyes glared daggers at him, and her chest heaved against his slightly. She wiggled in his grasp, struggling to pull her wrists free from his hold.

"Fucking let me go," She ground out through gritted teeth. "Or I'll scream."

"I'm not letting you go until you answer me. When have I ever lied to you?"

Sakura reared her head back to head butt Kakashi in one swift moment, but he easily leaned back; avoiding the shot and nearly lifting her off the ground as he did. She arched back, wrenching her shoulders and bringing her knees up to hit him. Kakashi wheeled her around, keeping her wrists pinned behind her back and flattening her against his chest; free arm coming around to rest at the base of her neck in a light hold, keeping her from jutting forward or backwards.

She continued to struggle against his hold, cursing him under her breath furiously, "Fuck. You. Let me go. You can't do this to me."

"Sakura, I'm doing this to you because you're trying to assault me. All I want to do is talk and you keep running away from me for reasons I don't understand," Kakashi replied smoothly, trying to ignore the twitch in his cock every time her toned ass rubbed up against it.

"EVERYTHING," Sakura hissed through gritted teeth. "You lied to me about _everything._ You lied to me so you could use me, just like everyone else. You made me believe that I was safe, you told me that no one was going to get hurt, you made me feel like everything was fine when in fact it never was. You lied to me just so you could fuck me and throw me away. You never cared about me. You never loved me."

"Where the fuck are you even getting that?" Kakashi pressed angrily, the words like gravel in this throat. "Where did that thought even come from, Sakura? I have never lied to you. Not once."

"Whatever," Sakura growled, trying to jerk forward.

Kakashi tightened his hold on her, rumbling in her ear darkly, "Let me finish. I never lied to you. After you got attacked, Himari gave us clear instructions to keep you as stress-free as possible so you don't have another seizure. The team and I decided that, as far as jobs went with Sota, we'd simply keep it to ourselves that way we didn't stress you out. We never lied to you, we just never told you what was going on because we were trying to protect you."

"Yeah, and look how great that turned out," She snapped, turning her head to the side to talk to him as she jerked her wrists. "Do you know what hearing about Naruto getting shot did to me? In an instant it was like everything came crashing down. Nothing was as safe and careful as you made me feel like it was. I felt betrayed finding out you were there with him. I was fucking _scared _for you. And because of that, it's my fault that Naruto got shot. People are getting hurt because of _me,_ and _you_ fucking lied to me about it. All you were doing was making me feel good so you could get in bed with me. Just use me."

"Not even close," Kakashi ground out. "We were only trying to keep you stress free. I realize now that we should have told you what was going on, so you were made aware of how things work. These jobs we do can be very dangerous, Sakura—especially against men like Sota. That being said, we are all highly trained, that instances like Naruto's are rare. We had the job planned out to the T, and someone who works for Sota showed up and fucked it all up. In the middle of us trying to take this guy down, there was a grunt who had been standing at the very front of the gate that none of us saw—he shot Naruto. None of this is because of you, it is because these men are bad men and they do bad things. Furthermore, no one blames you. Before you came along, we were already tasked with the job of getting Sota and shutting his chapter down. It was the night at the club that you got caught in the crosshairs. We only ever wanted to protect you and make sure this man doesn't get his hands on you."

"Why wouldn't you just tell me that? Did you think I couldn't handle it? Did you really think I was that weak?" Sakura pressed, very nearly shouting; the bark of her voice echoing in the room.

"It's not that I didn't think you couldn't handle it, Sakura, it was that I simply wanted to protect you. I didn't want you to blame yourself, I didn't want you to be anxious all the time, or worry. I'm sorry that I hurt you more than I helped you, I'm sorry that you feel deceived by me. That was never my intention, and I see that now. Going forward, I'll not keep anything from you. If you want to hear it, you'll hear it. If you want to know all the details, we'll give you the details. But understand that this is what I do. These jobs can be bad, but you've got to trust me. Trust that we've got everything handled, even if shit hits the fan. Don't blame yourself for anything, when we all love you and we all want to make sure you're safe." Kakashi sighed, "Furthermore, I never, _ever_ made you feel safe just to bed you. I wanted you to feel safe because I wanted you to feel safe. I wanted you to feel as normal as possible in the shitty situation. I never did it with the intentions of using you- I never have. If anything, I have only ever served you. I would do anything for you. Everything I've done, it's been for you."

"How can I possibly believe you? I feel lied to. I feel like some sheltered baby," Sakura huffed, trying to twist out of his arms.

"Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?" Kakashi began deeply. "I've done everything I've said I would do for you. I've been a man of my word, and I'll continue to be that man. I'm sorry I made you feel belittled, Sakura- I really am. I never meant for it to be that way, and it's turned out that way. I am very, sincerely sorry, and I hope you'll forgive me." Sakura maneuvered, jutting her hips back in the process and making her ass press tight against his cock; causing a dull-throb to hum through it. He hated that, given the situation, he was extremely turned on. The way he was holding her, with her body pressed tight against him, and her wiggling; it took his mind to dirtier places when he needed to focus.

"I...I guess not," Sakura enunciated, her tone sharp and frustrated.

"I'm also sorry if you felt coddled or suffocated—that was never my intention, either. I know you're a grown ass woman, you're independent and you do your own thing. That being said, because of the situation we're in, I can't risk you getting hurt. Until this is all over, you've got to be in someone's sights."

"When _will_ this be all over," Sakura sniffed, shaking her head and pressing it back against his collar bone. "You keep saying that, but I feel like nothing has happened."

"Because we haven't been telling you anything," Kakashi answered evenly, honestly. "But we are really close. We've got one of his main men that work for him. Once the team interrogates him, it'll lead us straight to Sota and this will really be all over. I'm sorry you felt strung along."

There was a heavy pause, the air thick around them as Sakura's jerking slowed by a little. Minutes passed before her head dipped; her raspy voice breaking the silence. "I hate that you're so good at making sense," Sakura spat out, scowling deeply.

"Is that why you didn't want to talk to me, Sakura? You wanted to take it out on me for awhile?"

Sakura huffed, "I was _not_ taking it out on you, I was just...mad. I was mad."

"Could have fooled me," Kakashi hummed, squeezing her wrists tenderly as he did. "You said some pretty hurtful things, did some pretty hurtful things, assumed some pretty hurtful things...all because, what?"

"I..." Sakura sighed, shoulders sagging as she stilled in his hold completely. "I don't know, okay. I don't know. All I know, is I hear that my mom got into a wreck, Naruto got shot and you were there, and it just...I don't know. It all hit me at once and I was just mad at you. Mad because I guess I trusted you that none of this would happen but..."

"None of that is in my control," Kakashi finished.

She shook her head, her tone still harsh as she spoke, "I know. I fucking know, okay? But like some fucking idiot, I just thought that...Everything was going to be fine. I really didn't understand the gravity of the situation, even after my attack... And...I'm sorry...I was just...scared. I was really scared and overwhelmed and I just reacted...I just wanted to run away. I wanted it all to stop because I felt so guilty."

"I understand."

"You always do," she grunted, flexing her elbows out as she straightened. "Can you let me go now?"

"Nope, not until you answer some of my questions," Kakashi enunciated slowly in her ear. "Why didn't you just stay to talk to me? Why did you book a flight behind my back, and then proceed to call a taxi to my house when we're trying to keep you away from any major attention?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I was just panicking, okay? I wasn't thinking straight, and I just...did it. Everything hit me at once and I couldn't handle seeing you, I felt so hurt."

"You know, you really hurt my feelings doing that. I sort of felt betrayed, Sakura. I felt like we had come so far and in an instant, you threw it out the window. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong if you couldn't even trust me to talk about it."

"I hurt your feelings?" She echoed softly, glancing back out of the corner of her eye.

Kakashi nodded, "Mmm-hmm. You did. Especially all the mean things you said to me, oh and let's not forget Sofia. That was the cherry on top."

Sakura suspired, "I'm...I'm sorry, okay. I really am sorry. I just got so worked up that...I don't know. I'm honestly sorry...I wasn't thinking straight...I didn't mean to be so ugly, I just...I was lashing out on you. I was being petty and ugly. I'm sorry." Her tone was mild, now, and he could hear the sincerity in her voice. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, he could feel Sakura shudder softly in his arms, followed by faint crying.

Kakashi moved his hand up to wipe away a tear, murmuring gently in her ear, "Let's make a deal. I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

"Deal," Sakura managed to utter through her sniffling.

Carefully Kakashi released her wrists, removing his arm from around the front of her and stepping back as she stepped forward about six feet away from him. She turned, lower lip trembling as she wiped away her own tears. Kakashi wanted nothing more than to embrace her, but he still wasn't finished. He had one last thing to say.

"Sakura," Kakashi titled earnestly. "We've got to make something clear. I'll be upfront about everything with you for now on—there's no mistake about that. That being said, my job can be very dangerous. My lifestyle can be very dangerous. If you want to be apart of that, you've got to roll with the punches and you've got to trust me. Otherwise, this will never work. I need to know right now whether you want to move forward with us, or stop right now."

Sakura scowled slightly, her eyes widening, "I don't know if I can give you that..."

Kakashi closed his eyes and shook his head somberly, "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to. I can't take another day of not knowing whether or not you're mine. The longer it's up in the air, the more it's going to hurt the both of us. We need to either cut this now, and go our separate ways after all of this is said and done...or...we make this work."

This was it for him. It was the big make or break you so often heard about in relationships; what either killed them or made them stronger. Part of him was thankful it had happened so early—maybe they could salvage what part of themselves remained and moved on. Though, he doubted it. The love he had for Sakura was one he couldn't understand, but he couldn't deny. It was a pure magnetism that drew him in so deeply into her waters that he'd sooner drown there before wading out. He'd never let himself love like this again—it was too much of a risk, for both parties involved. He only hoped Sakura would be able to be happy after him, because—the way she dropped her eyes and held herself, unspeaking as she chewed on her lower lip and shook her head told him all he needed to know.

Kakashi smiled at her, a woeful grin that pulled at the corner of his mouth as he spoke softly, "I understand, Sakura." He wanted to say he loved her- just one last time; but he knew better. He knew it would only cut deeper, and she was going to need time to heal. Sakura was not a woman that let anyone in easily, and he knew her comeback from this would be a rough one because she did just that; she let him in. For that, he was eternally grateful.

"When we're done here, and fly back to Tokyo- I'll call one of the girls to see if you can stay with them until this is taken care of. You don't have to worry about anything being awkward, I'm very good at being friends," Kakashi smirked, doing his best to push down his sinking heart and be firm. "While we're here, I'll be close by you just to keep an eye out for anything. What time are you waking up tomorrow?"

Sakura blinked several times as though in a daze before croaking, "Um...eight."

Kakashi gave one solid nod, "Eight it is then. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, he turned on his heel; leaving his heart behind forever as he exited the room.


	28. Decision

What was happening...  
Was this really what she wanted...?

Sakura watched blankly as the door to her hotel room shut; marking the moment that would inevitably lead to Kakashi no longer being a part of her life.  
Did she really want that...?

Deep shame caused her gut to twist sickeningly, and she felt the ghost of heartbreak pulse behind her ribcage. Shame for her behavior, shame for her words, and shame for her indecision. Why was this even a question in her head? She loved him...

Didn't she?

Before Kakashi, Sakura felt like she had got a hold of herself, after Sasuke. Before Kakashi, she told herself she was never going to endure heartache like she did with Sasuke. Before Kakashi, life had started to become exciting again; full of hope, dreams, and life...at least, that's what she thought.

Then he came crashing in, like a burning meteor across her twilight skies; crashing on the crust of her heart and smoldering his way through to her core. Burning her up from the inside out, consuming her; causing her realm to explode into a thousand rays of light, stretching their sizzling fingers across the horizon and lighting up the rest of a world she never knew existed. Smiles seemed more genuine, mornings were romantic, and words dripped with a honey so achingly sweet it was dizzying. For so long she ran from it, ran to the darker side of her fears, and remained tucked there like a frightened animal. He ambled in smoothly, cooling her frayed nerves and nursing her heart under a defensive thick crust; revealing molten lava that flowed underneath, pouring over and devouring every dark inkling in its' wake. It was new, it was wild, it was free, and most of all; it was right.

Did she really want to lose that?

As she stood there, she saw it then; the looming darkness edging its way across her world; pulsing toxic fumes that made her sick and bitter. Bile rose in her throat and tears welled hot in her eyes. Was that the woman she was doomed to be, once again? Shut off from the world, throwing her emotions to the wind, and simply existing; nothing more. Kakashi brought life; real, visceral, raw life. Joy and ease, beauty and comfort. He was a strong oak tree, a safe place to tuck among his leaves. He was honest, in ways she wishes she was. He was honorable; everything he did with integrity and a smart-ass remark.

Was she really going to let him walk out...?

Was she really going to let him slip out of her hands, out of her life...forever?

Sakura shot forward, tearing open the door and jumping into the hallway shouting his name, "KAKASHI!"

The hallway was empty, so she knocked on his door, uttering his name brokenly. Slowly, the door opened and Sakura stepped back until she hit the hallway wall; bracing her palms flat on either side. Her eyes widened as she took him in, unable to tear her gaze away from the raw, ardent, liquid expression that swirled in onyx depths. She felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest, her hands began to sweat, and her stomach fluttered aggressively. There stood the man that loved her unconditionally, that only ever sought to protect her, and honor her. The man who took her to levels she'd never reached with anyone else; the man that brought her back down to earth every time. He was the burn cream for her past scars, he was the flames that licked deliciously at her flesh. He was towering, broad, and looming; he was humble, genuine, and loving. Selfless in every meaning of the word. As glittering jade depths locked with powering ebony eyes, she asked herself one more time...

She loved him...

Didn't she...?


	29. Assistance

His fingers thrummed on the worn desk, cold eyes squinting as he gazed out the cracked window. Darkness had encroached in on the room besides the small lap sat atop his desk, casting a jaudiced glow over scattered papers and the hard lines of his face. Outside the window, he could see men walking to and from; armed to the teeth with guns and knives. Despite the number of men he had guarding him, he couldn't help but sweat.

Nothing took this long.  
Never.

First Watanabe, now Reiji—just who the fuck was after him? Was this a hit because Watanabe talked? More agents coming in closer to get ahold of him. It had to be, there was no fucking way. It had to be agents, that was at least until Reiji described to him the man that shot him in the dick. Tall, silver hair, and a scar that stretched down over one eye. He'd heard of that man before; he was notorious for cutting out Yakuza chapters left and right.

Kakashi Hatake.

He knew as much the man wasn't an agent with the government, let alone the American government. He must be working for someone else, or working for the agents. The fucked up part was, Sota couldn't seem to scrounge up any information on the bastard. He was nearly invisible, except for the other night. This made Sota suspicious for many reasons, because he was losing more and more men. He was suspicious, because he had no help this time around. Kazuo will refuse help—Kazuo has already cut him off from any more men. If Kazuo catches wind about Hisato being kidnapped—it could be all over. Kazuo will easily chop his head off before any agents could get to him.

That's why he had to act fast.  
He had to act smart.

For some reason, he was letting this little bitch get to him. He wanted nothing more than to tear into her, fuck her up nice and good before he sells her—and he had big plans for her. Just before Hisato was kidnapped, the fat fuck managed to snag a high paying client at the level Watanabe was. Sota has promised this man Sakura, and he was going to deliver—just as soon as he was done with her.

Sakura...  
What a stupid fucking name.

Once he got a name, after he beat the shit out of the grunts that didn't get it sooner, he found out everything he needed to know about her in an instant. He knew she was a traveling nurse at the hospital in downtown Tokyo. He knew that she was here by herself, with no family. He knew that she was 26, and he knew that she's been seen talking to a silver haired man with the exact same scar down his eye before she fucking disappeared.

What the fuck was she doing with Kakashi Hatake?  
Was she working for him?  
Was he working for her?

Something was going on, Sota knew that much. He also knew he was going to intervene, swoop in and get that little bitch right under everyone's noses.

He swiveled in his chair, picking up a sheet of paper Riichi had given him—more information on Sakura. As personal as this was, and it was incredibly personal, she was worth big money to the client he had lined up. The moment he sells her off, Kazuo will have to see that he can clean up his own messes and give him more men. The old sack of shit had to.

Sota grabbed the phone, lifting the paper under the dull light of the lamp and dialing the number. Several rings passed before it picked up, "...Hello...?"

Sota leaned forward on his desk, propping his left arm and smiling against the receiver, "Sasuke Uchiha?"


	30. Smoldering

In an instant, they clashed.  
The flames of his hands sizzling their way through the ice of her body; pooling in his palms for him to eagerly lap up.

Lips molded to each other, pushing and pulsing to a desperate rhythm. Hearts drummed erratically in chests as arms scrambled to pull the other in tight; flesh to flesh, heart to heart. Kakashi could feel Sakura's tears on his face as they meshed; swallowing up her broken sobs as if they were his own. His body thrummed with electricity; his mind buzzed with each painstakingly raw kiss. Sakura pushed against him hard, throwing her body onto his and clinging to him; the monsoon of her apology and love pouring over him, threatening to drown him. Kakashi was pressed flat against his side of the hall, big arms cinched around her securely; an unspoken promise to never let her go.

The moment he stepped into his room; he had regretted his words.  
He cursed whatever pantheon of gods were at work, then. He turned his head to the heavens and swore, wishing he could take it all back in an instant. He knew it had to happen, he just wished it didn't.

Visions of lonely nights simmered in the back of his mind, reminding him that maybe he was never meant to keep intimacy; only taste it. His heart ached instantly, his gut sank, and it took everything in him to keep it together. Never a day in his life had something ever tore him up immediately like he was being torn up then. Had it lasted any longer; he would have been torn to shreds, he was sure of it. The woman he loved more dearly than life itself would be a simple memory; a nightmare, laughing beautifully in his dreams only to bring him back to the harsh reality in the form of heavy breathing and cold sweats.

No.  
Losing Sakura was out of the question.

He was going to turn around, then. He was going to turn around and say it all; the blade of love tearing across his flesh, spilling his guts out for her to see. He was going to be as raw and open as possible, and if she rejected him still; then that was it.

Hearing his name being bellow outside of his room caused his stomach to flip.  
Hearing the knock on his door set him on edge.  
Seeing her standing there, so terribly beautiful and painfully vulnerable; it devastated him how fucking pretty she was.

He couldn't stop himself.  
Neither could she.

The heat between them increased to the point it was nearly insufferable; but he didn't care. He wanted to burn up with her, the ashes of their bodies spreading across the glimmering hope of their future. He wanted to break down with her; fall apart to pieces so they could build each other back together again. He wanted to drown in her waters, lungs full of her love; he wanted to suffocate in the whirlpool her depths, forever lost in the abyss of her heart. A firsthand witness to the magnetism of her soul.

Hands came to either side of Sakura's face, breaking away to search her eyes. Pain swam in those emerald orbs, along with fear and insecurity. Love stood there, too; arms stretched out wide in reckless abandon, begging to be embraced; praying that she doesn't get rejected. He leaned down, kissing her so sweetly it hurt before pulling back; hovering over her trembling lips as he murmured, "I love you, Sakura. I love you, I'm in love with you, and I'll never stop falling in love with you. You have become everything to me, in a manner of seconds. You are a rare, beautiful gem hidden away and I was lucky enough to see you sparkling in the dark. I fucking love you, I can never stop that. I honestly can't imagine my life without you—do you hear me? All my life I've prided myself on being a man all on my own. I thought I had it all figured out, and then you waltzed in and shook my world. Everything I built up, you tumbled down the very first moment you yelled at me and slapped my hand so hard I had to stuff it in my pocket. I thought days by myself were fine, and now I just can't imagine you not being there. I need you, Sakura, I need you in my life. I'll protect you with everything I'll have. I'd kill for you; I'd die for you. You just don't understand the depth of my love. I've kept so much to myself out of fear that you would run away, but I'm not doing that anymore. This is the severity of my emotion, and I want you along for the ride."

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her flushed face; lips in a quivering pout. Small hands rose to brace themselves on his face, fingers digging past the edges of his hair; shaking as she sobbed, "I am so fucking sorry, Kakashi. I'm sorry for everything I said to you; for the way I treated you. I'm sorry for always pushing you out, I'm sorry for blaming you. I'm sorry for lashing out on you. I'm sorry for being such a wreck. I'm a fucking idiot and I am so sorry." Tears continued to spill over the edges of her eyes, trailing down fair skin and soaking the collar her shirt. "I don't deserve you, I don't deserve-"

Kakashi cut her off with a kiss, "You deserve the world, Sakura; you deserve all of life's treasures—and I will be the man to happily give them to you. I know you don't need me; I know you can do you all on your own—but I want to do it _with_ you. I want us to be a team, I want us to be unstoppable. I want to wake up with you, lie down with you. I want to do it all with you, Sakura."

She shook her head slowly, patting away a tear as she spoke, "How could you possibly want that with me? I can't seem to get myself together. I can't seem to look past all these fucking walls I've built myself in. I'm afraid I'm just going to keep being hurtful to you—for no reason at all. I'm a fucked-up mess."

Kakashi snorted, "And I can be over-protective. Fact of the matter is, no one is perfect. I know I'm sure as shit not. That doesn't mean we just walk away from each other—not with as far as we've come. Part of being a team is that we help each other to be better—we grow together. I'll happily grow with you, Sakura. Just promise me going forward that when you start to feel any type of way—just talk to me about it. I'm the least judgmental person out there, I won't shoot you down for expressing how you feel—no matter how messed up or crazy you might think it is. Just talk to me, and just trust me."

Sakura's eyes flicked as she searched Kakashi's gaze, softening as she nodded. "I'll try my best," she muttered softly.

"I'll try my best," Kakashi echoed with a lopsided grin, pulling back to get a better look at her. "I love you, Sakura."

"I love you, Kakashi," she replied breathily, standing on her tip-toes to plant her pink lips on his.

As the lovers kissed, something set for Kakashi. As her hands began to rove over the bare expanse of his chest; pads of fingers delicately tracing flaming fine lines over his muscles; it became more real than it had ever been before. Before, he knew Sakura was the one for him; he couldn't deny it. But now, with her in his arms, swallowing up her breathy sighs and closing his hands over her waist; she was forever branded on his heart. He wanted to kick himself, giving up so easily just then. This woman was worth everything to him, and the moment he felt the fissure in his heart spread in the fleeting time he really thought it was over—he knew. No one affected him like she did. No one made him crumble like she did, and no one revved him up like she did.

She was definitely revving him up.

The way her hands were folding over his sides, squeezing the skin and pulling it tight, he couldn't help the hand that was on her back slink its way down; grabbing her right bottom cheek and cupping it softly.

Sakura broke the kiss, leaning in to huskily whisper in his ear, "Be rough with me."

Kakashi's cock very nearly jumped out of his pants at her words; her hot breath tickling the inside of his ear and sending chills down his spine when she scraped her teeth along his earlobe. He grinned, squeezing her ass harder; fingertips rubbing against the back of her pussy in a fleeting touch when he reached in to pull her behind up. Sakura hummed raspily, rolling her hips back into the gesture the third time he did it; her back slightly arched while her hands were braced on the tops of his shoulders. With his free hand he quickly grabbed the other cheek, opening her up wide from the back; loving the slight moan she emitted when he reached around to rub her pussy from behind in the process.

"Should we really be doing this," Kakashi hummed against her temple. "With everything going on, I figured this would be the last thing on your mind."

Sakura shook her head, eyes closed as she ran the tip of her tongue along his collarbone. "No," She muttered evenly. "I need this. I need you, give me _this." _As if on cue, her hand came down to grope his hardened member, rubbing up and down across the length that threatened to tear through his sweats.

Kakashi grit his teeth at the sensation, jutting his hip forward to better meet the palm of her hand. Her other hand was rubbing up and down his left side; nails slightly scraping along the goosebumps that formed there. Sakura kissed his lips, his chin; down the length of his neck and torso, swirling her tongue along the hardened muscles of his stomach and lower still. Dainty fingers hooked over the tops of his sweats, slowly inching them down as she lowered.

Kakashi grabbed her wrist, "Sakura, in case you haven't forgotten—we're still in the hallway."

"I know," she winked, grinning wickedly as she gently tugged her wrist out of his hold and continued to inch his sweats down.

Silver brows shot up at her last tug; his hardened cock springing out eagerly. He watched the tip of her pink tongue sweep along her plush lips, her hand coming up to grip him firmly and pump slowly. He watched her eyes practically sparkle as she eyeballed his pride; exotic and daring. He bit the inside of his cheek when she kissed her way from the base of his member to the tip; full pink lips parting to take the tip of his cock in the hot cavern of her mouth, moaning at the same time Kakashi did as she sucked him in. Kakashi's head was spinning at the sensation of his dick being sucked so slowly; so leisurely. Her head bobbed over him, taking him in as deep as she could and pulling him out with a wet pop. He glanced around before his eyes involuntarily squeezed shut when she hummed around him again; cheeks pulling in as she moved her mouth up and down in a tight wet ring; driving him insane.

He wrapped his hand around the back of her head, other fist squeezing shut as he gave himself to the pleasure; grunting at the sensation of her taking him all the way to the back of her throat. Without even realizing it, he began small, shallow thrusts; blinking rapidly at the sight of her lips roving up and down his member. She braced her hands on either side of his thighs, bobbing her head with the small thrusts of his hips; humming deeply and jarring her head slightly. She raised her chin up, mouth tugging up his dick until it came out; glistening from her saliva. She grabbed it by the tip, trailing her tongue up the vein that ran on the underside; impish emerald eyes locking with his when she sucked him in again.

Had Kakashi not been a trained ninja, he wouldn't have heard the voices down the hallway that connected to the one they were in. In a flash he pulled his member out of her mouth, quickly tucking it in his sweats and pulling Sakura up on her feet. In one swift motion he hooked her leg around his waist, scooping her up so both of her legs were wrapped around him. He turned to open the door to his hotel room, walking in quickly and shutting the door behind him. He tossed her on the bed, watching her bounce up and down as she settled with a confused expression on her face.

"Why'd you do that?" She pressed, tongue darting out to lick the corner of her mouth.

"People were coming down the hall," Kakashi answered thickly, putting his hands on his hips and squinting at her. "Since when did you become the queen of blowjobs?"

Sakura laughed and plucked a shoulder, "I don't know. I actually never liked blowjobs or ever wanted to do them until I met you."

Kakashi steepled his fingers on his chest, "I very nearly lost my shit, it felt so good. You literally made me dizzy."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "You're just being dramatic."

Kakashi shook his head, "Oh, no I'm not, Sakura. You had me at your mercy, like putty in your hands. You do anyways, but in that moment, I would have done the most ridiculous shit if you wanted me to. In the middle of a hallway at a hotel, no less."

"What can I say?" She remarked mischievously.

Kakashi took a step closer to her, the front of his legs hitting the edge of the bed as he loomed over her; his tone dark when he leaned in to murmur, "You're being very naughty, bunny."

Sakura turned her head to meet his gaze; a very artful, wolfish grin pulling at the corner of her mouth when she spoke, "Punish me, then."

Kakashi's brows quirked in surprise, "You don't want that, Sakura."

She leaned forward, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him in so roughly he nearly toppled on top of her; Kakashi halfway up on the bed with his feet touching the floor. She molded her lips onto his, her wet tongue coming out to tangle with his; soft, raspy hums vibrating deep from her throat. Her hands roved up and down his bare back; scratching her nails slightly as she rolled her body, grinding her hips against his. Kakashi kissed her back just as hungrily, snaking his hands under her shirt and gathering the fabric as he moved them up until he just tugged the shirt off altogether. He was eye level with supple alabaster breasts, delicately heaving in rhythm with Sakura's breathing. Kakashi broke the kiss, easily moving her bra to the side and taking a rosy nipple in his mouth—sucking instantly.

Sakura's head tossed back and she groaned, the roll of her hips more needy as her hands held either side of his head. With his right hand he grabbed her free breast, squeezing the flesh firmly and growling with satisfaction when he felt her hard nipple graze his palm.

He plucked his mouth away, smirking up at Sakura and rumbling, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that arguing turns you on."

Sakura said nothing, rather she pushed against his shoulders, scooting herself back against the headboard and wiggling a finger at Kakashi. Grinning, he slinked up to her like a big cat hunting its prey; stalking his way up the bed and stopping just in front of her. Sakura hooked her fingers in the waistband of her pants and began to wiggle them down; carelessly tossing them to the side. Kakashi's eyes traveled to the apex between her legs, chuckling darkly when he noticed she had been going commando the entire time.

He grabbed her ankle and kissed it, dark eyes burning into hers, "You're not wearing panties, bunny? You are being very, _very _naughty. Was this your plan all along—get me riled up so we can make love?"

Sakura giggled, her gaze just as predatory, "No, I don't want to make love tonight. I want you to fuck me, Kakashi. I want to be fucked so hard I can't walk straight. I want you deep inside me."

Kakashi stopped, leaning back to regard her fully, "Sakura, are you secretly this crazy sex maniac and never told me about it?"

"Why don't you come here find out?" Sakura challenged, lowering her chin to level her hot gaze with his.

Kakashi kissed up the length of her body, stopping to delve his tongue deep into her folds; warranting a soft wail from Sakura that sent chills down his entire body. His hot tongue explored every inch of her pussy lazily, big hands wrapping around her gyrating waist as he did. Sakura's small hands bunched in his hair, her head was tossed back; her cries becoming louder and louder. Her body twitched, her toes curled, and she was humming his name so huskily that he couldn't take it anymore. He sat up, stepping off of the bed and quickly removing his sweats before dragging her across the bed. He stood her up, placing her feet on the floor and her back against his chest; grabbing each of her wrists and pulling them back behind her, crossing them at her tailbone with one hand. With his free hand he moved to fist tightly into her hair, pulling her neck back and shoving his hard cock through the little space between her thighs; rubbing along her wet pussy and bumping her clit. The moment he drove his cock through, he was greeted by her wetness, grunting harshly when the head of his cock rubbed in and out; causing both of them to moan.

Sakura wriggled around in this position, arching her hips back in attempts to receive his waiting member. Noticing this, Kakashi tightened his hold on her hair, angling her head back more so that her back arched even deeper; her ass riding up even higher. He teased her like this several times, clenching his teeth at the sensation and sight of her desperately trying to grind her pussy on him. The sight and sound was erotic, and the pulse in his cock was begging for more.

In one swift motion, he thrust hard into her; the unison of their moans with each weighted thrust echoing throughout the night.

* * *

It's been two more days since the two have been in New York; making it four days in total since they've arrived.

The morning after their night of rather wild make up sex, Kakashi got to meet Sakura's dad. Her introduction was rough; pausing midsentence to look over at the question of what exactly Kakashi was. Kakashi, very smoothly, flashed an award-winning smile and shook the man's hand; introducing himself as Sakura's husband to which her dad seemed shocked until Kakashi followed up with, "Not yet, anyways." During their time at the hospital, it seemed Sakura's dad and Kakashi had a lot in common, and both talked for what seemed like forever to Sakura. Kakashi had to admit that, despite the situation, he was overjoyed at the fact that he got along so well with Kizashi. It meant that her father would likely approve of Sakura spending her days with him—and that meant the world to Kakashi.

Her mom's condition seemed to be improving, and as the two got up this morning to get ready, Sakura was practically buzzing with excitement. The doctors were supposed to be waking her up today, and all she wanted to do was talk to her mom. She even went as far as to rush Kakashi when he was brushing his teeth; jerking down her top and stepping into some black flats.

"You're going to make yourself sick if you don't chill, Sakura," Kakashi chuckled after he rinsed his mouth out. "She's going to still be there, don't worry."

"I know, I just want to be there when she wakes up," Sakura explained hurriedly, tugging her brush through her hair quickly and tossing it into a very lazy high pony tail.

Kakashi came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and planting a kiss on the nape of her neck, "I know you do, Usagi. We'll be there in no time. I've just got to put on my shirt and we can go."

For a second Sakura paused, leaning into his hold and turning her head sideways to him, "You're absolutely right...but still hurry."

Kakashi gasped, landing a hard smack on her ass as she detangled herself from his hold, "Bossy."

Sakura leaned against the bathroom door frame, watching as Kakashi tugged on a shirt, "You like it."

Kakashi simpered, "You bet your ass I do. Especially after last night."

Sakura giggled, taking Kakashi's outstretched hand and letting him guide her out the hotel room and to the hospital; Kakashi deciding to stop at the gift shop at the hospital to grab her mother flowers.

When they arrived, they were greeted with the sight of Kizashi hunched over Mebuki's body; though they couldn't see what he was doing. He was muttering something, but they couldn't seem to hear him over the beep. It was only when Sakura moved around to the foot of the bed and practically screamed that Kizashi shot up; revealing Mebuki turning her head, tears streaming down her face as she looked at Sakura.

Sakura bolted to the free side of the bed, hunching over Mebuki and kissing her face tenderly; both sobbing as Mebuki did her best to embrace Sakura as much as she could. Kakashi leaned against the wall, tucking the flowers under his arm and smiling. He'd never seen a more emotional sight, and it tugged on his heart strings hard.

Kizashi walked over to Kakashi's side, leaning over to nudge him with his elbow, "She's awake."

Kakashi nudge him back, sincerity in his tone, "Congratulations, sir. You must be relieved."

Kizashi gave a curt nod, "I am. We're halfway there. The other half is getting her on the mend, the physical therapy—everything."

"Well, Sakura is pretty strong and she is your daughter, so: I know you and your wife will get through it."

From the hospital bed, Mebuki spoke up, "Is this Sakura's boyfriend I've heard about?" Internally, Kakashi winced. Her voice sounded just as bad as Sakura's had after she got attacked. He had to stifle down the sickening wave of emotions he associated with that moment.

Kizashi clapped Kakashi on the shoulder, "You're up, champ."

As Kakashi made his way to side of the bed Sakura was at, Sakura moved out of the way some; allowing Kakashi to squeeze in. He smiled at her, holding out the flowers, "We got you these, Ma'am."

Mebuki eyed Kakashi gingerly, and Kakashi noticed her eyes were the same startling emerald as Sakura's were. Her eyes roved over his frame, then flicking over to Sakura as she spoke, "Hubba hubba, blossom! You didn't tell us you were dating a stud, my goodness! I'm just blushing looking at him honey, I can only imagine what-"

"Hey," Kizashi spoke up from behind them. "Stop seducing my wife."

Mebuki rolled her eyes, "Don't mind him, sugar. He's just an ass."

"I'm your ass," Kizashi remarked offhandedly, picking up a water bottle to drink deeply from it.

Kakashi chuckled, "Don't worry, sir. I won't seduce your wife—just your daughter, if that's okay with you."

"Mh," Kizashi grunted, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, you are so handsome! Sakura, he is way more handsome than that Sasuke boy—and polite, too? Kakashi, what do you do for work—do you make good money?" Mebuki smiled brightly, and Kakashi was struck with just how similar Sakura looked to her. Despite the fact she was covered in healing scratches, she was obviously beautiful—and he wondered if Sakura was going to look like her when she got older.

"_Mom_," Sakura hissed. "That's rude to ask."

"It's okay," Kakashi soothed, rubbing his hand along the back of Sakura's shoulders. "She just wants to make sure her daughter is sewn up—I get it. Ma'am, would you like my AGI or-"

Mebuki broke out in a loud laugh, "You're a smart ass! I like that. Sakura, I like your boyfriend. Maybe I'll ditch that old man back there for a young stud. What do you say, Kakashi? You, me—wheel of fortune."

Kakashi snickered, leaning over to wink at Mebuki, "As long as we get to place bets."

"I've got something you can bet on," Mebuki winked back, once again laughing loudly when a small blush managed to rise on Kakashi's face. She was definitely assertive, and he found it unendingly interesting to be around her parents and see aspects of them in Sakura.

"_Anyways," _Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes. "Why are you awake?"

Mebuki gasped, "Excuse me?!"

Sakura shook her head, "No, I mean they said they were going to wake you up today—I hadn't expected it to be so early. If I knew I would have shown up earlier."

"We thought so, too," Kizashi commented from behind her. "But the doctors came in here around 6AM and woke her up. It took her an hour and a half to start feeling like herself again—but she's still on pain medicine so she's higher than a kite right now."

Sakura gently rubbed Mebuki's hand, "How are you feeling, mom?"

Mebuki's lower lip jutted out in a careless grimace, "It's like your dad said, blossom. I'm higher than a kite, so I'm fine."

Kakashi turned to Kizashi, "Did they say when they'd discharge her?"

Kizashi nodded, flipping the water bottle in his hand as he spoke, "They said maybe three more days, give or take."

"Do you have aftercare set up?" Sakura pressed, readjusting some of the IV tubes dangling around her mom.

"I mean, the doctor told us they have aftercare available for us. What'd he say honey? A live-in maid?" Kizashi jerked his chin up, focusing his eyes on Mebuki.

Mebuki rolled her eyes, "No- a live in nurse." She turned her attention to Sakura. "The doctor said that they'd have a nurse pretty much live with us for awhile—at least until I get to moving on my own again."

"Mom," Sakura frowned. "That's going to be expensive."

"That's none of your business to worry about," Her dad remarked sternly. "Let us worry about money. She's alive and well, she'll get better—so just take it at that."

"Kizashi," Mebuki bit mildly. "The poor girl is just worried, that's all. Honey," Mebuki smiled sweetly at Sakura. "We will be fine. I will be fine. We'll have one of the most top-notch nurses looking after me—besides you, I mean."

Sakura sighed, "Fine...but, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

"Blossom, no offense but you're going to be halfway across the globe. All my calling you for things would do is stress you out—and we aren't going to do that. Just relax, trust us and trust the doctors."

"By the way," Kizashi grunted. "When are you going back to Tokyo? Surely you're not planning on staying here forever, right?"

Kakashi watched Sakura's face fall as she spoke, "Well...I mean..." Her gaze flicked to Kakashi's, and he gave her a small, reassuring smile. She glanced back at her dad, "I guess...just until you two get back home. Once you're home and I've met the nurse, I'll feel better flying back."

"You know, that is so sweet of you to fly with our dear cherry blossom," Mebuki sang to Kakashi cheekily. "It's kind of romantic, you taking care of my baby girl and all."

Kakashi simply laughed, "Ma'am, Sakura can take care of herself all on her own. I'm just here doing it with her."

"Dreamy," Mebuki giggled. "Nice body, the face isn't hard on the eyes, and gentlemanly? What's next, blossom, does he have a big-"

"_MOM!"_

* * *

It was around 8:30PM when they reached their hotel rooms again. Kakashi went ahead and moved his stuff over to Sakura's hotel room—since it was nicer and all. The rest of the day seemed to flow easily, as he noticed the stress had lifted off of Sakura's shoulders some. Her and Mebuki chat throughout the day—Mebuki even telling Kakashi all the stories of Sakura could think about. From when she used to always rip her diaper off as a baby and run around naked, to when she laughed so hard in middle school chocolate milkshake came out of her nose. While Sakura didn't necessarily seem embarrassed by the stories, she did on multiple occasions try to change the subject—which only fueled Kakashi to ask for more.

"So, you're telling me that when it's just us at the house you'll walk around naked whenever?" Kakashi teased, stripping off his clothes and turning the shower faucet on.

Sakura tittered, "I mean, maybe? Are you just saying that because you want me to walk around naked all the time?"

Kakashi, now as naked as the day he was born, looped his arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her in; kissing her deeply and running his hands over the globe of her behind. He pulled back, grinning at her as he spoke, "Bunny, I would love nothing more." He moved his hands to the bottom of her shirt to pull it up at the same time there was a knock on the door; causing both to still instantly.

Kakashi turned his attention to Sakura, "Did you order room service or something?"

Sakura shook her head, eyes wide, "No..."

Kakashi turned, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist, "Just stay in here." He walked to the hotel door, opening it slightly and peering out. Stood there was a man a little under his height, with jet black hair and dusty black eyes. He had fair skin and a strong nose, though his expression bordered on expressionless to mildly irritated.

Kakashi adjusted his body, making sure to block the man's line of sight, "Can I help you?"

"Is Sakura Haruno here?" He asked dully.

Kakashi shook his head, "I think you've got-"

"_Sasuke?!"_

Kakashi whipped around to see Sakura standing directly behind him, small hands balled into fists; eyes hard and glaring. He turned to see the man raise his chin defensively, brow only quirking slightly. Sakura grabbed the door and swung it open, "What the _fuck_ are you doing here? How did you even find me?"

Sasuke sighed, "Sakura, I'm not here to fight. I just want to talk to you—alone." At his last word, his eyes flicked over to Kakashi, who was watching him with a careful, leveled gaze.

Sakura snorted, "That's fucking rich. You're fucking high if you think I'm going to give you the time of day."

"What's wrong with your voice?" Sasuke muttered. "Who is this?"

"That's none of your business," Sakura growled at the same time Kakashi very cheerily remarked, "I'm her husband."

Sasuke started, eyes widening only slightly as he glanced between Sakura and Kakashi, "Husband? Sakura, are you serious?"

Sakura set her stance, crossing her arms and scowling deeply, "Fuck. Off."

Sasuke set his own stance, mimicking Sakura and crossing his arms as well, "I'm not leaving until you talk to me. It's important."

"No, obviously it's not, _Sasuke. _I don't give a fuck what you have to say."

Sasuke sighed again, "Tch. I figured you would act like this. All I'm asking is that you talk to me—just for a couple minutes."

Sakura shook her head, "Fine. Whatever you have to say, you can say to me in front of my _husband."_

"I'd rather talk to you one on one, Sakura." Sasuke scoffed, "You can't be serious about the husband thing. I don't even see a ring on your finger."

Kakashi grinned, "We preferred a baby over rings."

At this, the stoic man openly balked; eyes bugging and jaw slightly slack as his eyes roved over her form looking for proof, "You're fucking lying to me."

"Just say what you're going to say, or fuck off," Sakura asserted, tapping her toe impatiently. "I don't have time for this."

"Neither do I," he bit back bitterly. "But it's important."

Sakura started, "You know what? FUCK-"

Kakashi raised a hand, cutting her off while evenly matching Sasuke's gaze, "Would you mind us really quick?" He grabbed the door and shut it on Sasuke, immediately turning to brace either hand on her shoulders. He searched her gaze for several beats, deliberating. The woman was so angry fumes were practically steaming off of her; her fists balled and her cheeks flushed red. He's seen her mad, but he's never seen her this outrageously angry before. Nothing but pure hatred swirled in those emerald eyes—and he hated to see it. He wanted her to be happy, moved on from Sasuke so that he was only a ghost of a memory, and nothing more.

Carefully, he spoke, "Sakura...I think you should hear him out."

"_What?!" _She barked, incredulous. "Do you know who that is? That's-"

"Usagi," Kakashi decapitated gently. "I know who it is. I think it would be good for you to talk to him and get some type of closure—even if it means calling him an asshole. You don't have to stay there for long. Just hear out what he has to say, say what you have to say—and close that chapter for good."

Sakura's jaw twitched, "If you're implying that I'm not over him, you're wrong."

Kakashi shook his head, "No, I know you are. Doesn't mean you shouldn't get your closure. It'll help you feel better—just by a little bit. You've probably got things you want to say to him that you didn't say before. It would really be good for you, I think."

"You're not worried he might try something...?" She muttered, her gaze softening slightly.

"No, ma'am, I'm not. You almost decked him not twenty seconds ago, so I know you'll be able to take care of yourself. Plus, you love me, don't you?"

"Of course I do," she replied in a breath.

Kakashi flashed a toothy smile at her, "Then there's nothing to worry about. Besides, I'll be right here. You can talk in the hallway; you don't have to go anywhere. And if you're uncomfortable, just come back in here and I'll handle the rest."

Sakura worried her lip, "Are you sure I should do this? I feel like it's opening up a can of worms."

"Better to open up the can and get rid of it instead of keeping it and never dealing with it."

Sakura huffed, "Way to call me out."

Kakashi kissed her sweetly, "It'll be good for you, I promise. Just say what you have to say and then walk away. Then when you come back we can shower together."

At this, a smile stretched across her face; tip-toeing up to kiss him just as tenderly before making her way to the door. With her hand on the handle, she turned back to gaze at him once more before walking out.

Kakashi hoped she would say what was on her chest. He hoped she would tell that fucker exactly what she thought and felt, because he knew it was going to make her feel better about herself. She was going to feel stronger, more accomplished—and she can walk away from that season for good. Besides, he figured if she was still out there after thirty minutes, he could go out there and check on her—just to be sure.

He loved her.

He only wanted her to grow, and to be happy.  
And he wanted to be apart of that process.


	31. Trap

She wasn't sure this was a good idea.

No matter how much it would be "good" for her; it just didn't feel like it was a great idea.

She'd never hated anyone as much as she hated Sasuke—honestly. She hated him because for the longest time, she tolerated him. Sakura had put up with his shit time and time again for the sake of a scrap of intimacy, and even then, he didn't even pity her enough to grant her the common decency. He'd sooner whisper sweet nothings into some stripper's ear than kiss the woman who stood by his side loyally for such a long time. Even on the times he ran out on her, she just figured he was someone hurt—someone who needed love and affection to warm his icy heart. As it turns out, he was just an emotionless asshole to the very core. Sakura thought she was rid of him for good after that night in her apartment, but the universe had other shit in mind.

When she stepped out of the room, Sasuke was just a couple feet down the hall where another hallway to the elevators connected horizontally; right in the middle where the halls met. She watched him standing there, rubbing something off of his shoulder and staring expressionless off into the distance. She really hated him. She hated his hair; she hated his face—she hated everything. Seeing him only served to trudge up past emotions and hurtful memories. Nights of crying herself to sleep because he'd go weeks without talking to her—only to call her again after his most recent fling was over. All the times he called her ugly, told her she was getting fat, or made a remark about getting her birthmark removed—even though logically that wasn't a real thing. He'd always compare her to other women; telling her maybe she should get a breast job or a butt lift. Telling her she should work on her appearance more after she'd come home from a 14-hour shift. Never committing to her, despite the fact he expected her to remain tried and true to him. She hated him so much that seeing him made her physically sick—very nearly ruining how good the day had been for her.

Maybe Kakashi was right.  
Maybe she needed closure.

After all, if things go south—she can simply walk away, back into Kakashi's arms. The least she could do is tell him what she needed to say, and then shut that door completely. She didn't even want an explanation from the man—she knew it would all be bullshit, anyways. She simply needed to say what she needed to say, and that was it. Even if the fucker didn't hear her, the words would still be leaving her mouth—and hopefully out of her mind, forever. Despite the sick feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach, this would be good for her in the long run.

Sakura marched in his direction, refusing to drop her eyes when he turned his head and watched her near; eyes squinting as he raked her frame over in the same manner he used to do back in the day—judging her. It took everything in her to not charge at him, fists balled ready to break his fucking nose like she did last time.

Sakura stopped five feet away from him, crossing her arms and narrowing her gaze, "I'm here. What do you want?"

Sasuke raised his chin, "Are you really pregnant?"

"Excuse the fuck out of me? Is that any of your business? What's it to you anyways, _Sasuke, _when you consistently cheated on me day in and day out. If you don't recall, I walked in on you having a threesome in my fucking apartment. The last thing you care about is whether or not I'm pregnant."

Sasuke raised his hands, "I was just asking, Sakura. Congrats if you are, I guess."

"Nice try," Sakura bit harshly.

Sasuke shook his head, chuckling darkly, "You know, I think it's ironic that you still have me down as your emergency contact considering you've apparently got a man."

Sakura started, readjusting her stance and meeting his gaze evenly, "What the fuck are you talking about? Matter of fact, let's start off with how the fuck did you find me?"

Sasuke shrugged stiffly, "Word got around that your mom got into a wreck and she was in the hospital. I just called around the hotels nearby the hospital until I found the one you were at—it wasn't that hard."

"That doesn't even make sense. How did you find out what hospital my mom was in?"

"Are you that dense? Like I said, word gets around. My dad's friend knows a friend of your dad's and it just trickled down. I know you, Sakura-"

Sakura snapped her fingers in the air sharply, cutting him off as she spoke, "You don't know _shit _about me, Sasuke. Furthermore, I find it really fucking creepy that you just have access to all of this information about me and my family—who you never even cared about to begin with. So, don't give me that shit, because I'm not buying it."

Sasuke sighed, turning his head and glaring down the hall, "Fine. Your boss told me."

Sakura stopped, brow crumpling in confusion, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about, Sakura," He turned his head to face her again, his face pure stone as he spoke. "Is that your boss called me."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Sasuke shook his head, "Fucking believe it, I guess. I couldn't believe you still had me down as your emergency contact—after everything. I mean, you told me you were done with me and that's obviously not the case, is it, Sakura?" He took a step forward, irritation flickering across his gaze. "I must say, I am flattered. I wasn't expecting you to get over me that easily. That means your boyfriend—or, husband, I should say—is just a rebound, isn't he?"

Sakura glared at him, not backing down as he tried to near her, "Fuck you, Sasuke. I was over you halfway through our relationship. I just stuck around because I felt bad for you—a daddy's boy with some superiority complex. I think they call that little dick syndrome, don't they? Not to mention, you're not even a quarter of the man Kakashi is. So, suck on that, bitch."

Sasuke scowled deeply, teeth setting briefly before he blew out a breath of air and continued to speak, "What the fuck ever. I don't give a shit, anyways. I'm just here because your boss offered me cash to come and talk to you."

"That doesn't even make sense, Sasuke—why the fuck would my boss, who you've never met a day in your life, call _you_ of all people? Why not my phone? Or even my parents, for that matter? You do realize that's the shittiest lie I've heard from you, yet. I thought you'd be a bit more creative than that."

"Are you going to listen to what the fuck I have to say, or are you going to keep talking shit?" Sasuke snorted, the irritation becoming more apparent on his face. "Your boss called me saying that you had me down as an emergency contact. He said he tried calling you, but couldn't get ahold of you for some reason. He said that I was the only person he was able to get ahold of, and that it was extremely important that you get this message. He told me that he's flying to New York to perform some surgery- I guess for a lesson, or whatever. He told me that he wanted you to help him in the surgery room because you were their top nurse, or whatever, and that it would help you to get promoted in the long run. Is that clear enough for you? Make enough sense?"

Sakura paused, racking her brain as she tried to make sense of what the fuck he was saying.

Why would her boss call Sasuke? Sure, back in the day she had him down as an emergency contact at the other hospitals she interned at, but she changed it to her parents when she moved to Tokyo since she didn't have anyone she knew in Tokyo yet. She knew Tanaka was a renowned surgeon and often flew across the country for one thing or another—but would he really go to this extent just to get her to do it with him? Did he perhaps have her old employee files from the other hospitals and went off of that? Not to mention, wouldn't Himari call her if it was really that important?

It didn't make sense to Sakura; it didn't sit right in her stomach.

Furthermore, wouldn't Tanaka take Himari with him—as he's done before? Why would he _pay_ Sasuke to go out of his way to find her and relay over that message?

Sakura shook her head slowly, scowling deeply, "Sasuke...that literally doesn't make sense. Tanaka would never do that; I think you're just making that up. That sounds like a really bad excuse that took you a lot of time to try and think up."

Sasuke scoffed, "Who the fuck is Tanaka?"

Sakura's eyes widened with agitation, "My _boss,_ Sasuke. My boss's name is Tanaka. He'd never go out of his way to do all of this just to get ahold of me. No doctor would pay some stranger to go find someone to relay over some message about some obscure surgery here in the exact same place I happen to be. Not to mention, I haven't received any missed calls. The last person from work to call me was the lead nurse, Himari. I never put you down as an emergency contact in Tokyo. I put my parents down. You were on old records, sure, but you were never on the Tokyo forms..."

Sasuke paused, confusion flashing across his face briefly, "That's not the name he gave me..."

Suddenly, realization began to dawn on Sakura. Fear tingled down her spine and she felt her chest tighten as she looked upon Sasuke's increasingly confused expression. She fought hard to remain cool as she spoke the next words, "Sasuke...Who did that man say he was...?"

"He said his name was Sota..." Sasuke muttered, brow pinched. "Don't you have more than one boss, anyways?"

Sakura froze, taking a large step back and shaking her head back and forth rapidly. There was no way this was happening. This had to be some fucked up joke Sasuke was pulling; however, the firm expression on his face as he regarded her told her otherwise. This man really believed that her boss did all this just to get ahold of her. He really thought this was something that happened, and he fell right into the trap. Sota played him like a fiddle, and Sasuke led him directly to her.

"Sasuke," Sakura uttered, taking another step back and looking around nervously. "Did...did you tell him where I was at? Did he follow you here?"

Sasuke's head twitched in annoyance, "Well, yeah—he asked me to call him when I found out what hotel you were staying at...No one followed me, Sakura—why are you acting so fucking weird? Was he not supposed to know where you were staying—does he even know you flew here? Tch. That's so like you to just do what the fuck you want without thinking about it first."

"Sasuke, that's not my boss you _dumb fuck_," Sakura growled, backing away from him even more. "You better just leave. I-I have to go." Sakura whirled on her heel, stepping forward to run away when the sound of a very subtle, quiet pop went off; followed by Sasuke's bellow. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes widening as she saw Sasuke crumbled on the ground, gripping his thigh while blood began to soak his pant leg. Sasuke groaned loudly, fear wrenching itself across his face as three men walked into the hall; guns in their hands. Sakura froze, unable to move as she watched one of them use the blunt end of and ram it hard against Sasuke's temple; knocking him unconscious. The men directed their attention to Sakura, grinning wickedly.

"We've been looking for you, bitch," One man growled, slinking his way towards her.

Without so much as a second thought, Sakura turned; running down the hall at the same time the hotel room door opened and Kakashi stepped out. She watched his expression harden, running up to Sakura to grab her and drag her back as the men advanced on them.

"Don't shoot the bitch," a man barked from behind her. "The boss wants both of them alive!"

The words were cut off as Kakashi tossed her into the room, pointing at her and barking, "Do NOT leave this room until I say so. You stay right here, Sakura—just stay right here." With that he slammed the door, shutting her out before she could say anything. Despite the tremor in her body, despite how fucking scared she was; she couldn't stay in there. Sakura couldn't stand the thought of not doing something while Kakashi could get hurt. She was scared shitless; her heart was beating a thousand beats a minute—but she couldn't stay here.

She had to fight.

Sakura grabbed the handle of the hotel room and swung it open.

* * *

Kiba pulled into the parking lot of the club; cutting his Jeep off and hopping out to open the back door Akamaru. The big white dog leapt out with a low grunt, wagging his tail happily as he looked up at Kiba. Kiba grinned, patting the top of the dog's head and jerking his head in the direction of the club, "C'mon, boy. Let's go see what's going on."

It had been a couple days since he'd last talked to Kakashi. The last he heard, him and Sakura had made up and Sakura's mom was set to be woken up in a day or so—good news, he was glad to hear. Kiba considered himself to be one of Kakashi's good friends, if not his best friend. He was glad things were working out and coming together, especially since Neji and Shino had done a good job at finishing their assigned jobs pretty quickly—meaning they could interrogate Hisato, which is what everyone wanted.

When Tsunade prioritized the new wave of jobs over Hisato, he honestly couldn't believe it. Sota had been a job that the team as a whole had been working on for so long—a big cash job, too; which everyone cared about. When she held the meeting to discuss the jobs, he was fucking outraged that she pushed Hisato's interrogation to the side—a dumb fucking thing to do, if you asked him. But what could he do? Tsunade was assigned as leader of their chapter and a fucking Sannin—no one could beat that. Once she made her mind up on something, almost no one could talk her out of it because she always says it's for the "greater good," or whatever the fuck that means. Kiba didn't understand what greater good pushing back an interrogation does, and neither did the detectives. If anything, since they've had Hisato in their basement, they've been getting calls every day from the fucking detectives on what's going on—have they talked to him yet, when are they handing him over, on and on and on. Honestly, he was fucking tired of hearing about it. That's why he took the liberty of talking to Neji, Shino, and Gaara in private—planning to get their jobs done ASAP so that they could sooner interrogate Hisato than later. Because, Kakashi was right—there's no time for fucking around.

While Kiba had finished up one of his last jobs today, Neji, Shino, and Gaara were already ahead of him—they'd started interrogating Hisato 45 minutes ago. Kiba did his best to show up as fast as possible, because, to be honest, he wanted to hear what the fucker had to say. If anyone would spill the beans, it's that slimy fuck. Kiba had no doubt in his mind Hisato would squeal not twenty minutes into it—he was sure they wouldn't even have to use force. As soon as they got what they needed, Kiba planned to call Kakashi and let him know everything they knew—because he knew it would make the man feel better. No one liked for things to be hanging around in the air, but Kakashi was the worst. He was a man of action, moving from one step to the next easily—a feat Kiba both admired and found annoying. When it came to jobs, there was no slacking with that man. So he knew that, for Kakashi, not knowing was pure torture when all the answers are right there.  
Again, what the fuck was Tsunade thinking?  
More and more she seems off her rocker, in Kiba's opinion.  
Then again, it's not like her job is easy, and he supposes he understood that.

Kiba was halfway down the stairs to their safe house when he heard Neji practically shouting at Tsunade.

"- you've got to be a fucking _idiot _to have let this happen, Tsunade."

"DONT you fucking come for me—I was just merely doing my job, for Ancient of Days as a whole. How could we have possibly known that-"

"We could have known had we talked to him sooner," Gaara's voice cut in. "I get where you're coming from, but doing what you did was a rookie mistake and now people are suffering from it. We've got to take care of this, now."

Kiba came down into the clearing, peering around as everyone was gathered around Tsunade's desk; expressions pulled tight in anger as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Neji, Shino, Gaara, Lee, and Guy were in the room, staring at Tsunade.

"What the fuck is going on?" Kiba spoke up, all gazes diverting to him. "What are we taking care of?"

Neji's jaw twitched, "We've got a problem, Kiba."

"What," Kiba pressed, glancing around. "Is Hisato not talking?"

"No," Gaara shook his head slowly. "He talked, alright. It's what he said that's the problem."

"Well, what'd he say?" Kiba bit, eyebrows pulling down.

"Sakura's mom's wreck was a trap—a means to flush Sakura out. Hisato said that the moment Sota got Sakura's info, her parents were the first he planned to target. Hisato said that he figured she was being protected, so he planned the wreck in the states knowing she'd come out of hiding," Neji explained tensely.

Kiba shook his head, "Are you sure that's not a lie? We all know Sota can't overstep his jurisdiction of the Yakuza—especially in the states."

"That's the thing," Gaara spoke up, arms crossed. "He planned it knowing full and well he was overstepping the Yakuza boss. He told Hisato to funnel cash to a chapter in New York to pay for the job, to pay for the grunts to get her—even had him purchase the ticket for Sota to fly there."

"Could be a lie, Sota is on the radar of the government _and _American FBI. If he flies, that's like him holding a great big flashing sign advertising who he is and what he does. They'll be on him in no time," Kiba commented with a shake of his head.

"Not likely," Shino challenged darkly. "Sota, though without the support of the Yakuza boss, still has money and a means. That man can easily take off with a fake—no one would look twice."

"So you're telling me that Sota caused the wreck to flush Sakura out and chances on he's on a plane right now heading her way?"

"If he's not already there," Guy muttered coolly.

"Let me call Kakashi," Kiba enunciated, pulling out his phone and pulling up Kakashi's contact. "We'll let him know right away so they can fly back. There's no way Sota can be there already."

"Not likely," Shino grunted. "Hisato told us that this had been planned a week before it happened. Chances are, he's already in the states."

"Doesn't mean he knows where they're at," Kiba remarked, phone to his ear as he listened to the dialing tone.

"Chances are, he does," Gaara replied. "When we pressed Hisato for more information, he said that Sota kept making comments about having something up his sleeve and 'waiting for the right moment' to act. We fucked him up pretty good, and apparently that's all he knows."

"What trick could he possibly have up his sleeve?" Kiba pressed, irritated when the call went to voicemail and dialed Sakura's number.

Guy shook his head, "We don't know, but apparently it was going to lead him straight to Sakura."

The phone rang for a minute before going to voicemail. Kiba swore, dialing up Kakashi's number again and receiving the same thing. "Fuck, neither of them are answering."

Guy turned to Tsunade, "We've got to go. They're in danger and it's just Kakashi over there."

Tsunade sighed heavily, shaking her head, "No. We can't just take off, not with all the jobs we've got to take care of here."

Kiba started, glaring at Tsunade as she shuffled papers around, "Are you fucking _high?_ Did you not just hear what the fuck they said? Did you not just hear me say neither of them are answering their phones?"

"They're probably just busy fucking," Tsunade shrugged, glancing up from her paper to match her gaze with Kiba. "We don't just make rash decisions anyways—we discuss them as a team and then act. That's the way we've always done it, I'm not going to change it now based on hearsay."

"_Hearsay?" _Kiba echoed, incredulous. "Are you out of your fucking mind, Tsunade? Have you gone off your fucking rocker? We've already wasted time by not interrogating Hisato because _you_ said so, and now you don't want us to take off to help Kakashi because it's not what we usually do?"

"According to Hisato, we're days behind," Shino remarked. "I can guarantee Sota is already in the states, and I can guarantee he's making his move."

"You don't know that," Tsunade bit. "We can't just trust what one Yakuza bitch says. Besides, we have jobs here that need to be finished, we don't know if-"

"FUCK the JOBS," Kiba barked, clapping his hands in the air loudly with each word. "FUCK what we usually do. They're not answering, we're days behind—it all adds up, Tsunade. What the fuck else do you need? Do you need it written in fucking stone to believe it?"

Tsunade slammed her fists down on the desk, the sound of the wood splintering slightly underneath, "DON'T fucking _undermine me._ I am fully aware of what could possibly be happening-"

"Doesn't sound like it," Guy interrupted, big brows pulled tight in the center. "It sounds like you just don't want to lose bodies here because of the jobs for Ancient of Days. I'm sure the elders will understand why we had to send men off to take care of a big job issue."

Tsunade sighed, shaking her head, "We've got to get their approval to fly to the states first—you know that."

"FUCK their approval," Kiba growled.

Tsunade stood up, "You know what, _fine._ You're right. Chances are, they are in danger. But you're not going to get funding from Ancient of Days if you take off without discussing it with the elders first. You know that."

"I don't give a fuck," Shino muttered. "I'll spend my money—we never leave a comrade behind and we've fucked Kakashi and Sakura over royally. We'll be lucky if they're alive when we show up."

Tsunade lowered her head, closing her eyes and exhaling deeply, "Alright. I get it. I'm being a fucking idiot...You're right, all of you. Unfortunately, everyone else is on jobs right now. Naruto is still healing and Hinata won't leave his side. It's just going to be you here in this room. I hope you're okay with that."

"About fucking time," Kiba grumbled, turning his attention to Gaara. "We know to fly to New York—but where are we going? Do we even have a lead?"

Gaara nodded, jade eyes narrowing earnestly, "We do. Hisato told us that there's a club called LAVO Nightclub in New York that the Yakuza are known for working out of. He said chances are Sota might take them there, if he has them. The first thing we should do is check out the hotel to-"

"No," Tsunade cut, shaking her head with her fists on her hips. "Shino is right—if we're days behind, then chances are Sota's got them. Kakashi is strong, one of the best, but I wouldn't put it past them to overwhelm him. Plus, even with you all going—you're going to need reinforcements."

Kiba raised his arms up, "You said we'd need the elder's approval? We can't wait for that."

"I know that," Tsunade scowled. "But I can call the agents, and they can call their connects with the American agents. Let me call them. I'll call someone at the airport, too. They work with the agents we work with, so we can get you on a plane ASAP and you should be able to take your weapons. I'll make sure that other agents are waiting for you at the airport in New York, so you don't have to go through security. You all get ready- I'll make the calls."

"Finally, some fucking sense," Kiba growled, pulling out his phone. "There's one other person I want to come with us. I don't care if he's on a job or not- I know we could use him."

Kiba searched up Shikamaru's contact, hoping the man answered his phone. As the phone rang, he felt his stomach do sickening flips. This was a big hole in their fucking plans, and he just hoped they made it there in time.

Kiba never believed in a god, but he found himself praying that Kakashi and Sakura would manage to pull through until they got there; praying they made it in time.

* * *

The man gurgled, spit coming up out of his mouth and over his stubbled chin as Kakashi rammed him against the wall. Eyes bulged as she squeezed the man's trachea; left leg coming up to kick the other square in the chest that was charging at him. The man on the right ran up and swung; Kakashi barely dodging it as he tucked to the side, letting go of the man he was choking and leaping back against the wall.

Two men came for him, one fist reaching for his face of which Kakashi caught easily; twisting the wrist and lugging him over into the next man; sending them both tumbling down. The grunt opposite of him pulled out a knife, slashing the air deftly and snarling menacingly. Kakashi easily avoided the stab attempts, catching him by the forearm and decking him hard in the face; sending him stumbling backwards, blood trickling out of his nose. To his left there was the sound of grunting, followed with Sakura's voice. He glanced over, catching sight of Sakura swinging wildly at the man closest to her; knocking him in the head several times heavily. The man crumbled to the ground and she landed one swift kick to his gut, leaping back when the other man swung for her.

In front of him, the grunt stumbled back to his feet; wiping the blood away and shaking his head, "You've done fucked up, boy. You're fucking dead."

Kakashi said nothing as he charged for the man, squatting down low and kicking the grunt's feet out underneath him; causing him to fall back. Quickly Kakashi grabbed him by his collar, pulling him up and shifting behind him; wrapping his arm around his neck and beginning to squeeze tightly. The man began to shudder in his arms, trembling and jerking as he struggled to breathe. Black eyes shot up to see Sakura dancing with the other grunt, landing her own swift hits into the grunt's gut. He watched as the man doubled over, cradling his stomach and groaning loudly. Sakura took a step forward to hit him again when the man pulled out a gun; pointing the barrel directly in the middle of her forehead. He watched Sakura freeze, expression falling as her eyes narrowed on the silver weapon.

The grunt turned his head to the side, "If you want your little bitch to live, let him go."

Sakura shook her head, "Don't listen to him. Sota wants me alive, he won't hurt me."

"SHUT the fuck UP, bitch!" The grunt hissed through gritted teeth. "I'm not talking to you. Just because I can't kill you doesn't mean I won't hurt you. Do you hear me, fucker? I'll shoot this little bitch right now. I'll shoot her in the fucking foot. Do you want that? She'll never be able to walk again. Let him go."

There was no room for deliberation. Even if the grunt was bluffing, the gun was still pointed at her head. Even if Kakashi let go of this man and charged for the other, the chances of reaching him before he pulled the trigger were low—a risk he wasn't willing to take. Kakashi bit the inside of his cheek, releasing his hold; the grunt spluttering and coughing as he sucked in air. The grunt scrambled to his feet, swinging his fist and landing a hit directly across Kakashi's face; causing Sakura to shout.

"I _said _SHUT the fuck UP!" The grunt with the gun growled. "We don't want to call too much attention to us- do we? Now. Grab this bitch really quick."

The other grunt maneuvered around Kakashi—who remained where he was on his knees. As the man walked, Kakashi was racking his brain on what he could do. He could charge right now, get the fucker with the gun and disarm him. Sakura would get the picture and she'd strike, too. Kakashi made sure to make eye contact with Sakura, ducking his chin down slowly and blinking deliberately to see if she'd catch on. The grunt came behind her, gripping a fistful of her hair and jerking her back hard; causing her to wail. Kakashi was on his feet, charging at the grunt holding the gun; ramming into him, wrapping his left arm around the front of his torso while his right arm jerked the hand that was holding the gun down; squeezing the pressure point on his wrist so that the gun came out of his hand and clambered to the ground. They fell forward, the grunt falling face first and Kakashi straddling his back; squeezing his sides with his knees and picking up his head to drive it hard against the floor. The grunt struggled to get up underneath him, arms flailing in attempts to pull him off or push himself up to no avail. Kakashi punched the back of his head hard, glancing up briefly to see Sakura trying to rip her way against the other grunt's hold.

Kakashi reared his arm back, going to land another punch to the grunt underneath him when his eyes caught a flash of sliver in front of him. He paused, eyes flicking up to see the blade of a knife pressed tight against Sakura's throat; the grunt's head over her shoulder.

"You're out of fucking luck, buddy," The grunt growled, squinting hard at Kakashi. "Make one more move and I'll cut her fucking neck."

"Let her go," Kakashi asserted darkly. "Take me."

The grunt laughed, "Fat fuckin' chance, asshole. This bitch is worth a lot of money—and I get paid if I turn her in. So, you're gonna play real nice, now—I want you to stand the fuck up, and back away from him."

Kakashi said nothing, he simply moved to his feet and stepped away from the grunt that was underneath him; backing into something hard behind him. Several arms came from behind him, gripping him tightly and pulling him back hard; holding him as he struggled to break their hold. More grunts came up from behind him, one walking over to where Sakura was and pulling a syringe out of his pocket.

"Don't you fucking touch her," Kakashi growled, jerking forward and moving two feet before more arms pulled him back; a fist jamming the back of his head hard, making him dizzy.

Sakura wiggled wildly in the grunt's hold, fear apparent across her face as the other man uncapped the needle; a sickening grin pulling at the corner of his mouth, "You're going to feel a little prick, baby."

"I SAID DON'T FUCKING TOUCH HER!" Kakashi barked, pulling forward once more; breaking the hold that was on him and charging.

"Ah, ah ah," the man holding Sakura sang, tightening the blade against her throat. "I'll fuck her up real good. Is that what you want?"

Kakashi froze, silver brows drawn down tight and his heart thrumming. Arms came behind him again, pulling him down to his knees and holding him there. As he watched Sakura squirm, he felt a sharp stinging pain in the side of his throat; deep burning spreading from the spot and slowly making its way throughout his neck. His mouth went dry, his tongue immediately feeling thick as he tried to speak. He tried to move, but in a manner of seconds his limbs felt heavy; as though being weighed down by bags of sand. He lurched forward, slumping and heaving with shortened breaths. Blood pulsed in his ears as he watched the man inject the needle in Sakura's throat; both laughing at her tears. Darkness palpitated the edges of his vision and he fell forward; struggling to pick himself up, watching her grow just as limp. Eyes blinked lethargically as he tried to drag himself closer to her; unwillingly succumbing to the murky depths as he watched her being dragged away.


	32. Torment

**Kira here. This is an advisory: the following content will be graphic and can be triggering. I suggest skimming over the gory parts if you need to. As always, reviews keep me from lighting the end of an Olive Garden bread stick and staring out a window despondently, "Chef Boyardee? I haven't heard that name in years..." Happy reading, kitties.**

Darkness fogged her senses; her vision fading in and out blurrily. Bodies were fuzzy black masses shifting around her, touching her, and moving her. Voices were muffled, distant brutish hums she couldn't make sense of. She teetered on the edge between life and death; the slow, lethargic pump of her heart echoing in the abysmal space of her mind. She didn't know where she was, but she couldn't find the capacity to care. For each time she briefly came to, it only took seconds for her to sink back into the black sand; very nearly allowing it to swallow her whole. She was being tossed around, squeezed, and slapped—making the obscure night all the more appealing; limbs heavy as she fell deeper and deeper into the tempting trench. Numb, blind, and emotionless.

Sakura was sure of it.  
She was going to die.

She tried hard to remember what was happening—even as she was being shouted at to move, she couldn't seem to will her feet to walk. She tried hard to focus—even as her wrists became cuffed to something, she didn't have the energy to tug her wrists away from it. Even as hazed emerald eyes blinked, struggling to bring everything into focus—she felt the sting again, liquid magma swirling its way through her veins; burning her up from the inside out so painstakingly slow that she would have screamed, had her tongue not felt like sandpaper in her mouth. It only took seconds again for her to fade out, her body floating off into space; the echo of laughter ebbing the further she left her body.

Sakura was sure of it...  
She was going to die.

* * *

Kiba grit his teeth, staring out the airplane window. He'd handled a lot of major jobs in his day, he's been in a lot of high-risk situations, and they've all come incredibly close to losing each other; so, he figured this far into the game, he wouldn't be phased by an emergency like this.  
But he was.

He was, because Shino right—Sota definitely has his hands-on Sakura and Kakashi by now. Sota was a sneaky, slippery son-of-a-bitch. He slipped out long before they even talked to Hisato. He had shit going on in the background long before they could even catch on—and now they're paying for it because they're a bunch of fucking idiots. What made it worse, is the thoughts that ran through his head at what Sota could possibly do to them. Kiba knew without a doubt in his mind Kakashi was going to be killed—if not by Sota, then by Reiji. Kiba also knew Sota was a man who fucked with his victims and he wasn't going to let Kakashi off the hook so easily. He was going to torture the guy for information. He was going to hurt Sakura to get to him—and honestly, Kiba wouldn't blame him if he broke. Sakura was Kakashi's life now, and he was going to do anything to protect her.  
So was Kiba.  
So was the whole team.

They all loved her as if she's been around since they were kids. She gets along so well; she fits right in with no issues. The dynamic between her and Kakashi, her and the team; it flowed effortlessly. She was someone Kiba saw a lot of his sister in, and that only naturally pulled the protective brother out of him. Kiba would kill for his sister—he'd do anything for her, even if she got on his nerves. The same went for Sakura—he'd do anything for her. He might bitch, but he'd do it. He would, because he understood her. He understood the walls she built around herself, he understood her hard exterior, and her means to protect herself. It was almost like looking in a mirror, and he had to admit; seeing her giving herself fully to Kakashi gave him hope for his own future. A future that was going to involve Kakashi and Sakura because—god damn it all—they were going to save them.

They had it all planned out.

Tsunade did well on her end of contacting the detectives—having them waiting at the airport when they arrived, escorting them past security and on the plane. The flight was roughly 17 hours, so they had no time to spare when they arrive. The main detective they work with—Kaito—stated that he would get in contact with the American agents and that they'd be waiting for the team's arrival to set out and strike. While Kiba asked why they couldn't just go scope out the club now, Kaito made a point of saying Sota might be hiding out for a good half of the day just in case he was tracked by agents. Chances are, he was going to take care of Sakura and Kakashi at night; meaning possibly they're sitting ducks until either Sota shows up or the team does—and Kiba was praying that the team would arrive before anything else. Kiba thought it was a load of bullshit, considering that Sota was technically Japan's affair—and the US didn't want to get involved if they didn't have to. But he didn't have time for semantics anymore, if they weren't going to help that was fucking fine to him. Only a few more hours and they'd arrive. Kiba didn't give two shits about sleeping- and neither did anyone else. Everyone was hyper-focused on the job at hand.

They were going to take care of this fucker, once and for all.

* * *

Eyes lethargically wrestled to open, pupils weakly adjusting as she started to come to; attempting to take in her surroundings. She couldn't make sense of what was going on around her; save that she still couldn't move. Everything surrounding her was blurred together, and she tried to blink away the watery film over her eyes. Voices bounced off the walls of the room—aggressive and unfamiliar to her. Sakura dipped her head, sucking in air slowly through her nose to offset the surmounting nausea she was feeling. Her skin felt tight and itchy, but when she tried to scratch it she was met with the sound of metal clinking and the sudden halt of her wrists. Slowly she turned her head, squinting at her wrists as her eyes tried to make out what she was seeing.

Her wrists were cuffed to a thin metal pipe that looped out of the wall; the white paint flicking off to reveal the rusted metal underneath. The room was relatively dark, save for several pale fluorescent lights that flickered randomly above her; barely lighting the room up. She appeared to be tucked in a corner, facing the entire room—its' shape similar to that of the safehouse underneath Samurai in Tokyo; one big cube. There were several tables set about with chairs, along with a desk not twenty feet from her; close to the wall. She could clearly see the bricks on the walls and the bad paint job that covered them; rubbing her skin nearly raw. Above her music could be heard, a vibrating bass similar to most clubs. Sakura figured they were under some nightclub, there was really no other explanation. She could make out at least four silhouettes ambling back and forth; men talking among each other. The clearer her vision became, the more panic began to set in.

Just where the fuck is she?

The last thing Sakura remembers was what happened at the hotel—Sasuke unknowingly leading Sota directly to her. The sick mother fucker knew just how to play Sasuke, and like a fucking idiot he took the bait. The last thing she remembers was watching them inject something into Kakashi's neck at the same time she felt that tale-tell sting—one she had been feeling on and off for what felt like days to her. How long was she out for? How long did they keep her drugged?

Where the fuck was Kakashi?

Sakura's head shot up, wide eyes glancing around wildly; peering into the dark spots hoping to find him cuffed to something. The more she continued to frantically search, the more panic started to really set in. Whatever they injected her with was wearing off slowly—making her feel dizzy and sick. Her breathing came in rapid pants and she jerked at her cuffs wildly, hot tears gathering in her eyes. What if they killed Kakashi? She couldn't see him anywhere, and the pain of loss stinging suddenly; mixing with fear and striking like a miserable chord. Her palms began to sweat, her stomach flipping painfully, and her entire frame shook violently. Heat rushed over her body in a terrified wave, and when she saw two bodies nearing her it took everything in her not to scream.

One man came into clear sight; tall as he was bulky. He was limping slightly as he walked; the lights highlighting his features as he passed through them. The man was completely bald, eyes hard and speckled with scars all over his head. The man to his right was a little under the bald man's height; the same wide, bulky build. He had short, spiky black hair that stood maybe an inch high, and there was a scar on his upper lip. Both men stopped in front of her, the bald one stepping forward and glaring at her.

"Well look at this, brother. Someone is finally awake," The bald man remarked bitterly. "You're a fuckin' light weight—you know that, bitch? I mean shit, the drugs we use to keep you sedated are strong, but you were out for _hours._ How long would you say she was out for, Riichi?"

Riichi ran his tongue along his teeth, "I'd say she was out for at least a day, Reiji."

Reiji nodded slow, deliberate nods, "Yeah, sounds about right. We even tried waking your ass up, too—no dice. Do you know how long the boss has been trying to get his hands on you- and you make him have to _wait_ for your stupid ass to wake up? That's fuckin' rude, you know that?"

Sakura's eyes flicked between the two, fear causing her teeth to chatter as she sucked herself against the wall away from them, shaking her head and closing her eyes as if it would shut them out completely.

A hand came out, gripping her face tightly and jerking her head up, "Don't close your eyes on me, little bitch. You pay attention when I'm talking to you—you understand that?"

Still, Sakura kept her eyes squeezed shut; hot tears spilling down her cheeks, teeth clenched to fight back the sob that threatened to break through. She wished there was something she could do. She wished her limbs felt normal, instead of weights on her body. She wished she felt strong, instead of weak and sick. She wished she could think clearly, but her brain was still fogged. She tried to jerk her face out of the hand, only to have something hot and hard slam fast across her face; pain crackling across her nerves and sending a fresh wave of tears.

"I _said, _don't close your fucking eyes. Open them, you stupid cunt. Look at me when I'm talking to you," Reiji growled. "Or your little boyfriend is going to get it."

Sakura's eyes snapped open, wide and frantic as she tried to crane her head to see if he was around. Reiji chuckled though his brows were pulled down tight, "There's a good little bitch. You're lucky the boss wants you in a decent condition when he sees you- or I would have knocked your fucking lights out for not listening to me. But, your boy toy, on the other hand, isn't important to us nor is he worth much money. So, unless you want me to gut him like a fucking pig, you'll listen to what I have to say—do you understand?"

Sakura said nothing, she only kept her eyes open and attempted to keep the tears at bay; though her body called her bluff. No matter how hard she kept repeating in her head to be strong, she couldn't. The more the drugs wore off, the more everything became haywire. Her mind was hazy but her emotions were raw, erratic and fleeting. She couldn't seem to get ahold of herself, and the two men saw this.

"Aw," Riichi teased, lower lip jutting out in a mock pout. "Are you sad your little friend isn't here? Are you worried about him?"

Sakura glanced over, tongue heavy as she attempted to speak, "Wh-whe...where...is he...?"

Riichi tossed his head back and laughed loudly, "Wow, you _are_ fucked up. You can't even talk, you stupid bitch. What good are you going to be if the client wants you to talk—hmm?"

"No," Reiji interrupted, squatting down and moving in on a trembling Sakura. "The man she's going to doesn't give a fuck about talking—as long as it's top quality pussy, he's fine. Plus, she's got pink hair and he finds that erotic, so you know. The boss was planning on plucking your fucking teeth out, anyways—so look forward to that."

Giant hands pulled a small silver key out of his pocket, stretching across and reaching for Sakura who tried to squish herself against the wall; breathing heavily and whimpering. Reiji's eye narrowed, snagging her forearm and tugging her forward so hard that when the cuffs held her back she very nearly was thrown back from the force. He squeezed her arm painfully tight, wrenching his hand and causing it to burn, "You'll not make a fucking move, bitch. You stay completely still or I'll slap the shit out of you again." He raised his left hand, pressing it hard against Sakura's collarbone and shoving her back hard; free hand moving to undo the cuffs around the pipe. He held her there tight as he removed the cuffs, a sick grin pulling at the corner of his mouth as he eyed her. He inched his hand down her chest, lower still and moving to her breast. Sakura screamed, weakly slapping his hand away and squishing herself tighter in the corner.

Reiji snarled, "Don't fucking push me away, bitch. I just want to know what's got the boss so worked up—that's all. As far as I'm concerned, you're not the best bitch I've seen so I don't get it. Besides, you're so fuckin' frigid—when's the last time you let a real man touch you? Because I promise you, I'm going to be a lot gentler than the boss will be."

Sakura raised her arm feebly, trying to sit back on her heel so she could bring up her leg to kick him in the chest. The drive of her foot was too slow, and as a result Reiji caught it smoothly; digging his fingers into her Achilles heel and jerking her back so she slid across the concrete floor; laid out in front of him. He loomed over her, practically fuming as he drove his hand across her face again—the slap a million times harder than that of the man who attacked her at the diner. Sakura yelped, crossing her hands in front of her to try to protect herself. Easily Reiji pinned both wrists crossed down on her stomach with one hand, shoving his other hand up her shirt. Sakura tried to jerk her body, she tried to kick her way out from underneath him but her limbs didn't listen; her body didn't react the way she wanted it to. She instead looked pitiful, heels barely dragging up an inch while she tossed her head to the side. Reiji's hand went up her shirt, grabbing her breast and squeezing so roughly that she cried out, shoulders caving in as a result of the pain.

"Not bad," Reiji grumbled, moving his hand over to the other breast and squeezing even harder; laughing when a sob broke out from her chest.

"Get...off...of m-me..." Sakura sobbed, closing her eyes tight and trying to roll her hips in attempts to scoot away from his hold.

Reiji dug his nails into her flesh deep, dragging them down and tearing the skin, "Fuck you, bitch. I'll do what the fuck I want. You don't have the upper hand here, slut. I don't see what the problem is anyways; you let that silver-haired cunt grab your tits, don't you? I'm just taking stock, there's nothing wrong with that. Riichi, you want in on this?"

Riichi chuckled, moving to loom over with his arms crossed, "I'd fucking love to." Riichi squat down, grabbing Sakura's ankles and dragging her heavy body over to him; chuckling that disgusting, sickening laugh that made her violently sick; stomach fluttering, waves of nausea coming over her so strong that she shot up and threw up directly onto Riichi's shirt.

"What the FUCK?!" Riichi bellowed, standing up and kicking Sakura in the gut hard; causing her to topple over to her side. "You stupid little _bitch_! I ought to fucking kill you, bitch!" He kicked her three more times, pausing on the last kick when a voice from the front of the room carried through.

"Are you fucking up my client's purchase?"

Sakura moaned, curling up and clutching her stomach as pain burned along her stomach; wheezing because the air had been kicked out of her. She threw up again, sobbing heavily and trying to curl up tighter. She didn't know what she was going to do. The drugs were still affecting her body, she couldn't do what she wanted to do, she couldn't react the way she wanted to react—she couldn't do anything but take what she was getting. She sobbed because she was weak. She sobbed because she was never going to see her family again. She sobbed because she didn't want Kakashi to get hurt. She sobbed because she hated herself. She sobbed because she was sure of it:

She's going to die.

Footsteps approached, coming to a full stop behind Sakura, "Look what the fuck you've done, Riichi. I told you not to fuck her up."

"The bitch threw up on me," Riichi grunted. "I had to teach her a fucking lesson."

"You're not at liberty to be teaching anyone lessons—remember? Who runs this fucking show—me, dipshit. Don't let your balls get too big for your fucking head you big fucking idiot—or do I have to remind you?"

There was a brief pause before Riichi bitterly spat out, "No."

"That's a good fucking boy. Now, grab her and bring her over here—on her knees, and cuff her fucking hands behind her back."

Sakura's eyes were still closed when a hand grabbed her forearm, roughly jerking her up and dragging her across the room; throwing her down on the hard floor and positioning her to her knees. She felt the cool metal of the cuffs tighten around her arms that were pulled too tight behind her back, and she doubled forward; still struggling to catch her breath. Footsteps came from her left around to the front, a figure squatting down and getting eye level with her.

"Look at me, Sakura."

Sakura dipped her head lower, shaking her head and biting the inside of her cheek hard in hopes it would snap her out of the stupor she was still in. The man in front of her sighed heavily, "Fine. Maybe you'll look up for your boyfriend? Reiji—bring him over here."

Taking the bait, Sakura glanced up instantly. Off in the darkest corner opposite of her, she saw Reiji dragging a long body behind him; and as they neared, she could see blood caked in matted silver hair. Her eyes widened when he tossed Kakashi to the ground, kicking him swiftly in the gut before standing off to the side. Sakura became frantic, trying to move forward on her knees to see him. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not—all she saw was the blood that was all over his body. More tears came and this time she cried loud, using what strength she had to try to throw herself over to him. When she attempted to leap forward, a body came in between her; halting her completely.

"Ah, ah ah," the voice sang darkly. "You stay right where you are."

Distraught emerald eyes flashed, finally looking up at the man who caused this all.

Standing directly in front of her, staring down at her coldly, was Sota. His hair was slicked back, his eyes as dull and as black as a lump of coal. His features were almost rat-like, with a sharp pointed nose and a sharp jaw. He had high cheekbones and thin, arched eyebrows. He regarded her coolly, hand tucked into his black striped suit.

"What did..." Sakura sucked in a breath, clenching her trembling teeth. "What did you do...t-to him?"

Sota smiled brightly, "We fucked him up, of course. I don't know if you're aware, but your boyfriend here works for someone—we just don't know who because_ somebody _is a tough egg to crack. But that's no matter." He squat back down, a gloved hand coming up to grab her chin, "I have been looking _everywhere _for you, Sakura. Do you know how frustrating it is trying to find a bitch? You're not even anyone important—some American girl moved to Tokyo to chase her dreams." He smiled again, teeth small and off-white. "You know, I pride myself on the quality of the bitches I get—and how quick I get them. So you can imagine my disdain when a month and a half pass by with little to luck in finding out just where the fuck you are. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say your partner there," he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "had something to do with it?"

Sakura said nothing, she only tried to crane her head, "K...Ka-kashi..."

Sota huffed, rolling his eyes, "Oh my fucking god. You're a rude bitch, you know that? First, you make me wait _forever _to find you—which, honestly we need to talk about." Sota rose, walking over to a table to the right and plucking up a knife; twirling the tip of the blade on the pad of his finger. Without looking up, he spoke, "Get him on his knees." On cue, Riichi and Reiji walked over to Kakashi's prone body, picking him up and balling their fists into his hair to hold him there. With his head lifted, she caught a clear sight of his face. Blood dried where his nose was, his lip was busted with a quarter-inch cut. He looked like he had the shit beat out of him, there was multiple forming bruises around his throat, gashes bleeding across his chest, and what appeared to be burn marks up his arms. She bit her lip, lamenting as his eyes cracked open to meet hers.

"Kakashi..." Sakura croaked, toppling over when she tried to move forward.

"Kakashi, Kakashi," Sota mimicked in a higher octave. "Is that all you can say? You're such a boring conversationalist." Sota grabbed her by the shoulder and sat her back up, signaling for Riichi to hold her in place. Big hands wrapped themselves around her shoulders and squeezed tight; causing her muscles to bunch and sting immediately. Sota ambled over to Kakashi casually, brandishing the knife and flashing another smile at Sakura, "You see, Sakura—can I call you that? I feel like we're on a first name basis, you and I. So, you see, Sakura; any women I set my sights on, I always capture—_always._ That night, when you bumped into the across the club and I saw you in those tight little shorts and that pink hair—I saw dollar signs, baby. At first, it was just business; that was, until you slapped the shit out of me. You could imagine my humiliation, couldn't you Sakura? Don't you hate being humiliated like that?" Sota neared her again, cocking back his hand and throwing it across her face; the sound of the slap buzzing along the dull thrum of the bass of the club above.

Sakura's head shot to the side and she cried, at the same time Kakashi began to jerk under Reiji's hold, "You keep your...fucking hands off of her," Kakashi slurred, still obviously being affected by the drugs.

Sota glanced over at Kakashi carelessly, "I'll get to you. I'm talking to Sakura, first. Now, Sakura—tell me, how did that feel? Were you humiliated?"

Sakura shook her head, "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm _doing this_ because you need to be taught a fucking lesson. No one humiliates me that way and gets away with it," Sota answered evenly, now standing by Kakashi's right side and looping an arm around his neck to hold him tight. He pointed the tip of the blade where the top of his scar was, turning his attention over to Sakura. "TELL. ME. SA-KU-RA. Were you humiliated?"

"Leave him alone!" Sakura shouted, trying to pull forward only to have Riichi yank her back effortlessly.

Sota shook his head, "No, it's not going to work like that. Riichi, grab that bitch by her fucking hair. Hold her head and make her watch this."

Riichi's hand fisted tight in Sakura's hair; so tight she could feel strands snapping as he weaved the hair through his knuckles, pulling her head up and back. He dipped his head to mutter in her ear, "You're going to fucking watch this, or I'm cutting off your boyfriend's dick."

"What are you going to do to him?" Sakura whimpered, struggling against Riichi's hold. She watched Kakashi's expression, anger flashing across his face and his jaw set.

Sota dug the tip of the blade into Kakashi's skin, blood beading and rolling down. Slowly, he began to drag the blade down the length of Kakashi's scar; reopening the wound centimeter by centimeter. She watched as Kakashi grit his teeth, his entire body tense as the pain overrode him. "Say it, Sakura," Sota sang, pressing the blade even deeper; the skin parting and more blood pouring out.

"Fine! Yes! I was humiliated!" Sakura wailed, jerking as hard as she could against Riichi's hold to no avail. "Stop it! Stop, please—stop!"

"Jjjuuusssttt about done," Sota hummed, dragging the blade down the other half of the scar; leaving a bleeding trail in his wake. The blood poured over, into Kakashi's eye and down his face. Sota unhooked his arm, standing back up and smiling down at Sakura. "See? That wasn't so hard to admit. Now, knowing what you know—can you see why I was so upset, Sakura? Because I was incredibly upset. I took it personal, you see." He chuckled nastily, "I even wondered if my obsession with you was a form of love because—you're obviously beautiful, in a unique way. I was planning on keeping you for myself, but I've got a lot of money riding on you. Landing this deal with you is going to put me back in the good graces of the big man, and I'll be honest—it's because of you and your friend here that I'm probably already in trouble. Not just for coming here and plotting everything behind the big man's back, but because your friend here snagged a guy of mine that can also put me and him under the spotlight. Still," Sota turned to Kakashi, sighing. "It's a shame we couldn't get him to talk. It'd make my life much easier."

Kakashi glared, spitting out blood at Sota; a thick blob landing directly center of his suit. Sota shook his head and laughed, instantly following up with a punch so solid that it knocked Reiji back a couple feet. Kakashi's head snapped hard, and when he lurched over more blood came pooling out of his nose. "You see, it's that shit right there I don't like. It seems like you two really need to brush up on your manners. You kids these days don't know how to act for shit. It's no matter. I'm sure your little boyfriend here will learn his lesson eventually." Sota turned towards Sakura, a very slow, sickening smirk tugging at his lips as he walked towards her. "To make sure you're good enough for our client, I have to do a check on you, Sakura. I hope you don't mind—it's protocol, after all. I'm just going to make sure the plumbing works and that you're a good fuck. I mean, we could go off of your boyfriend's words, but I want it directly out of the horses mouth."

"Don't lay a fucking hand on her," Kakashi bit, his tone a little clearer. "I will fucking kill you if you-"

Sota tossed his head back and laughed, "What are you going to do, little boy? I'm the one with the knife and the two meat-heads. You're the one on your knees and bleeding."

"I will fucking _end you_," Kakashi seethed, blood spilling in between his teeth, one eye squinted shut.

"You know what," Sota paused, shaking his head. "I'm getting so tired of your mouth. For every time you talk, I'm breaking a finger."

"You could break them all," Kakashi ground out. "I'll still end your miserable life you sick son-of-a-bitch!"

"That's IT!" Sota barked, charging over to Kakashi in a flash, moving around him and grabbing Kakashi's right hand while Reiji continued to hold him down. He held it in the air and grabbed the index finger; easily snapping it. Sakura cried out, lurching forward and begging him to stop. Sota laughed, grabbing another finger and snapping it. Sakura watched Kakashi's jaw tighten, his brows pinched hard, and his eyes hardening. The man was managing the pain, and Sakura could barely keep herself together. Sota dropped the hand, glancing over at Sakura and snickering, "You look fucking dumb crying. You better get used to it. You're going to be someone else's bitch and no one likes a crier. Well, not everyone. I happen to find it a turn on." Sota's last sentence became dark in an instant, hand holding up the blade and wiggling it in the air as he approached her. "You need to learn the ropes, Sakura. I'm here to help you with that. I have been waiting and waiting to get my hands on you—I was almost nervous to meet you I was so giddy. I thought," He framed his jaw with his forefinger and thumb. "Should I stab her? Should I pull her teeth out—and I really liked that idea. Should I just fuck her and sell her? The options are endless."

Sakura tossed her head back and forth rapidly, "What the fuck do you want? Where do you get off—you fucker!"

Sota clicked his tongue, squatting down in front of Sakura, "Tsk, tsk. Is that anyway to speak to your master? Because," he glanced down at his watch, "until my client decides to get you, you're mine. I told him to give a month or so—so you'll heal up nicely. That means that you're all mine—and you're going to learn a thing or two, bitch."

"Stay the fuck AWAY from her," Kakashi barked, jerking hard in Reiji's hold.

Sota chuckled, looking over his shoulder, "Can you imagine, Sakura? You must be a really good fuck if this guy is going to still keep fighting for you even after the beating we've given him. Honestly, that just excites me more. Ah, but—don't worry, Kakashi. I'll fuck her long and hard and rough and mean—you know, wear her in really good so she knows what she's doing when she's sold. Don't worry, champ, I've got your back." Sota held a thumbs up at Kakashi before turning his attention back to Sakura. He winked at her, "Now, let's see what's under the hood." He pulled out the knife, grabbing the top of her shirt and ripping it all the way down; the blade dragging across her skin and cutting a line as he went. Sakura clenched her teeth at the pain, shuddering as he ripped the rest of her shirt off and the cool air touched her skin. Sota gasped, "Wowee, would you look at that, boys? She's got a nicer body than I thought. I mean, look at these tits!" He grabbed the front of the bra, dragging the blade through the fabric in the middle and cutting it effortlessly; the fabric falling away and revealing her breasts. Sakura tried to hunch over and hide herself, but Riichi was pulling her head tight; refusing to let her move.

Sota turned halfway to Kakashi, "These are pretty nice, if I say so myself. They're not big, but they look like they fit comfortably in your hand." Sota' hands stretched out when Kakashi practically screamed, "GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS AWAY FROM HER!"

Sota scowled, "Reiji, do something about that."

"With pleasure," Reiji rumbled, fisting his hands in Kakashi's hair and angling his head up and landing several punches to the side of his face where his scar had been cut open; blood splattering across Kakashi's face, Reiji's face, and all over the floor. Quickly, he pulled out his own knife, stabbing Kakashi twice in the side; Kakashi grunting harshly, but still attempting to jerk his way out.

"Now," Sota continued. "Kakashi, I'm going to cut one of Sakura's tits off. I hope that's okay with you?" Sota stood, moving to standing halfway behind her and bending over; one gloved hand grabbing her left breast and lifting it up, edge of the blade pressed along the bottom curve where her breast and the skin of her torso met. Sakura's entire body shook with fear; trembling and terrified while Kakashi yelled a string of profanities. "I'm not listening," Sota sang, child-like, dragging the blade along the curve of her breast and laughing loudly when Sakura screamed. She tried hard not to. She wanted to be as strong as Kakashi was, but she wasn't. The pain was burning, stinging, and terrible. She felt hot blood begin to pour down her stomach when Sota moved over to the other side; dragging the blade there and chuckling as her skin parted and blood made its way through. He pointed the tip of the blade at her sternum, digging the tip in and dragging it down; humming, "Your skin is so soft. Our client will definitely love that."

Sakura's torso was completely covered in blood, all her nerves stinging while warm liquid made its way down her body. Sota stood back, admiring his handiwork, "Your screaming is music to my ears, Sakura. Look how much you're bleeding- I bet fucking you would be so good if your pussy is full of blood." He turned to Kakashi, "Should we do that? Make her pussy bleed so I can fuck her raw?"

Kakashi shot up, tossing his head back against Reiji's nose and charging for Sota. Reiji grabbed him by the shoulder, lobbing him back and wrapping his arm around his throat. Sakura could tell Kakashi was still feeling as weak as she was; but the rage on his face expressed exactly what they were both thinking- they wanted this fucker dead.

Sota clicked his tongue, "No good, sir, no good. I'm going to have to punish you for that, you know that right?" Before Kakashi could get a word out, Sota drove the blade deep into Kakashi's gut; stabbing him twice before pulling his fist back and punching him square in the chest. Sakura screamed again, angry hot tears pouring over her cheeks and splattering on the floor; mixing with the blood.

"Leave him alone!" Sakura wailed, face crumpled. "It's me you want! It's me! Don't touch him!"

Sota turned on his heel, "Oh, it's you I want alright. As a matter of fact, let's not fuck around any longer. Riichi, stand the bitch up- take off her cuffs but hold onto her, make sure she doesn't fucking go anywhere."

Sakura whimpered as Riichi tugged her up by her hair, holding her in place by wrapping one tree-trunk arm around her waist after she felt the cuffs clatter to the ground. Sota ambled up, reaching for the button of her pants and yanking them down aggressively, "You know, Sakura- I've always wondered. Does the carpet match the drapes?"

"Fuck you," Sakura sniffed, trying to sound strong despite the constant tremor of her body.

Sota simply chortled, "Fuck me? No, fuck _you, _Sakura. I'm going to fuck _you._ I've been dreaming about it since we met. I've imagined all the ways I could fuck you, and how bloody I can make it. We're going to start off by shoving this knife in your pussy real deep—but, don't worry. You'll heal up in time for our client, you'll be like new." Sota smiled, as if he were reassuring an old friend; tugging her pants off completely and shoving her legs out of them; leaving her in just her panties. Sota grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her hard in Riichi's hold and grabbing a handful of her behind. "Would you look at this? Top tier ass, if I do say so myself. That's an ass you want to fuck over and over again, am I right, Kakashi?"

"Fuck you," Kakashi growled. "I'm going to fucking end you."

"Yeah, yeah," Sota dismissed with a wave, turning Sakura back around. "Reiji, break another finger."

"NO!" Sakura shouted, eyes pleading with cold, heartless ones. "Please, don't hurt him. I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt him."

Sota placed a hand over his heart, "Aw- how sweet. You'd really do that for him?" He spread her legs, placing the tip of the blade dangerously close to her core; scraping along the cloth-covered skin there and chuckling darkly when Sakura flinched. "So you're pink all over, huh? I bet the boys really do like you. It's too bad I've got to clean up my mess for the boss, otherwise I would have to keep you for myself. I mean, look at all this juicy, tender meat." Sota spread her legs, grabbing her left inner thigh and squeezing the flesh there so tight she wailed; pressing the blade against the soft skin and burying it deep; dragging several deep lines to her knee. Sakura screamed this time, a wail that bounced off the walls and hurt her own ears. Sota repeated the action on the other side; licking her blood off of the blade when he was done. Sakura's entire body was jolting now, pain crackling across every nerve in her body and blood pooling at her feet. She stood there; shuddering painfully when he cut her panties off and tossed them to the side.

"I just can't believe all of this work has led to this moment," Sota mused aloud, pressing the knife at her left hip and dragging it across to her right; a wet, angry gash breaking as he went. He drew another gash under it, and another, and another; until he was just an inch above her pubic area. Sakura screamed and he screamed with her, laughing loudly and dragging his tongue along the gashes he just tore. He tossed his head back, "You taste so fucking good. Your blood is so sweet, Sakura. Does your pussy taste that sweet, too? Kakashi, does her-"

Kakashi came charging at Sota, tackling him to the ground and grabbing his head; throwing his face into the concrete several times. Sakura screamed as Riichi tossed her to the side, fumbling to grab Kakashi and rip him off of Sota. Reiji pulled Kakashi's arms behind his back while Riichi began to slam his fists into Kakashi's gut over and over; Kakashi coughing out blood with every blow. Frantic, Sakura saw the knife Sota had been holding on the ground; reached for it and stabbing the blade into Sota's side once. Sota stood in an instant, grabbing her by the throat and squeezing tightly; his expression manic, eyes wide, forehead bleeding, and laughing wildly.

"YOU WANT TO STAB ME, BITCH?!" he punched Sakura in the stomach once before using his index finger and digging it deep into the gash he drew across her hips; wailing with her when she screamed. Over to the side she could see the brothers beating Kakashi up even more, blood all over them as they pummeled their fists into his body. Sota slapped Sakura hard, punched her in the stomach, and tossed her on the ground to kick her in the head. Sakura sobbed, trying to move to her feet when he kicked her hard again. The wind blew out of her lungs, and she was desperately heaving for air. Sota squat down, sneering in her face, "You're going to regret doing that, you little bitch." Sota snapped his head to the side, "Reiji, Riichi! Hold him still, I've got a fantastic idea."

Sota grabbed the knife out of his side; yanking it and hissing in pain before turning to Kakashi. "I'm done playing games. I was going to fuck your pretty little bitch raw right in front of you, but I'm just going to kill you instead. Fuck her up in the head real good before I fuck her real good—do you understand?" Sota took Reiji's place behind Kakashi while Riichi plucked Sakura up; pinning her arms down by her side and fisting her hair. "Sakura! You're going to want to watch this, baby girl!" Sota shouted, his expression wholly maniac as he pressed the blade against Kakashi's throat and started to drag it across; eyes bearing into Sakura's, smiling wickedly.

"NO!" Sakura bellowed, struggling in Riichi's hold; eyes aghast as she watched Kakashi gurgle and blood spurt out of his neck. His body tremored and arms flailed. She watched his eyes roll, and then she watched as several people charged in; one big hand grabbing Sota by the hair and yanking him back.

Suddenly, the room was chaotic. What looked like police came charging in with guns and lights; men in suits brandishing weapons, and shouting. Riichi let her go in an instant, turning to walk out the back door when a man who had hair similar to Lee's came flying past her to kick him in the back of the head; another body following suit as they pinned him down. Reiji was tackled by three men she thought she knew, but she wasn't sure; the blood loss was getting to her. More bodies came flying in, other grunts scrambling, but Sakura couldn't focus on who was where. All she could see was Kakashi; on top of Sota, beating the living shit out of him. Blood continued to spurt out of his neck and all over Sota's wailing face, but Kakashi didn't let up. She watched as he dug his thumbs into the man's eyes; the squelching noises reaching her ears along with Sota's screams. She watched as he drove his fists into his face so severely that she was positive his skull had sunk in. She watched him pick up Sota's head by the neck and drive it down with great force onto the concrete over and over and over and over and over and over and over...until Sota was no longer screaming. Kakashi's breathing heaved, there wasn't an inch of him that wasn't covered in blood, and he crumbled; gurgling and spluttering.

Sakura fell to her knees, weakly crawling her way over to Kakashi and feebly pulling him up by the shoulders to place his head in her lap; closing her hands over the blood that continued to spurt out of his neck. She watched as the color started to leave his face, she watched his eyes blink slowly in attempts to focus on her. She watched their bodies together, covered in blood and still bleeding. She watched as he tried to speak, but sputtered blood across her face instead. She watched his eyes, pleading as his hand came up; planting a bloody handprint on her face before eyes rolled back and he stilled. She watched the life leave him, frantic to put pressure on his wound; but she was fading away. She felt something drape over her shoulders, but she was too far gone. Watching him lose himself, she lost herself, too. Sakura tossed her head back and screamed.

And screamed and screamed and screamed.


	33. Late

Kiba was sure of it.  
They were too late.

The scene they walked into was one he wasn't sure he was ever going to be able to shake—and he's seen some shit. As soon as the team landed, they were lucky enough to have American agents waiting for them—along with a squad of police the agents called and notified on where they thought Sota's whereabouts would be. They loaded themselves in the agent's SUVs and took off towards the club Hisato said Sota would be at. On the drive there, one of the agents made a remark about a 911 call done at a hotel; talking about suspicious activity and shifty men; the same hotel Kakashi and Sakura were staying at. That, paired with the information Kaito gave them—the US agents put the two together. The US agents Kaito called happened to be ones he worked with often, if they needed to do work in the states or thought the Yakuza was heading their way—so they were familiar with what was going on. There was a sense of urgency among not just the team, but now the agents, too. Everyone knew who they were dealing with, and everyone was aware of just what could happen.

And it happened.

While the team made their way through the club, it wasn't hard to find out where Sota was keeping them. Shino took the head, easily leading them through while everyone else made good of plucking off grunts; handing them off to police that started to leak into the club while patrons started to pour out. They had a short window of time to act before Sota was given any notice, and as far as getting to where Sakura and Kakashi were—it went well without a hitch. The problem was, they were too fucking late. They charged in, Guy surpassing every grunt that was standing in the way to get one of the brothers in the back. Shika and Kiba took care of the grunts inside the basement, while Shino and Neji charged for Sota; Shino being the one to jerk him back by the hair while Neji and Lee took care of the other brother close to Kakashi. Cops came flooding in between them, and the US agents came in last with guns. The room would have been considered in total disarray, if Shika hadn't planned their attack all the way through.

Still, they were too late.

When Kiba finished up with one grunt, he turned his attention to the center of the room; where Sakura stood completely naked and covered in blood and riddled with deep gashes; watching as Kakashi beat the living shit out of Sota. Kiba watched blood splutter out of Kakashi's throat, out of multiple wounds all over his body, and the long, bleeding gash across his face. He knew he should have done something; he knew he should have pulled Kakashi off of Sota; they all did. But Sakura looked so beat up, Kakashi was so fucked up—that it was a due justice that no one had the guts to interrupt. Sota had caused everyone misery, and the fucker deserved what was coming to him—and he got it, alright. Kiba has only seen Kakashi go off the rails several times. He knew the man could fight—he was a top shinobi for Christ's sake. He also knew the man had a past of killing with no regard during his darker hours. In that moment, Kiba saw a glimpse of that man, fueled by seething rage. He watched his teeth grit, bloodied silver brows tight, and eyes burning with fury. Kiba watched Sakura watching Kakashi—and it worried him. He watched as Sota's cries died out and the fucker's body stilled. He watched as Kakashi collapsed, body tremoring from shock. He watched Sakura fall to her knees, crawling her way over to him and placing his head in her lap while she tried to stop the blood that gushed out of his neck. They were both soaked in blood, they were both losing blood, and they were both deathly injured. He watched Shino strip himself of his jacket and place it over Sakura's shoulders as cops started to surround them. He watched Kakashi still; he watched Sakura's face tremble and fall.

Kiba watched until he couldn't watch anymore; tearing his gaze away while Sakura's lament filled his ears; booming and bloodcurdling, echoing off the walls and wrenching everyone's hearts.


	34. Waking

"...do you know if she was...raped...?"

"No...no, she wasn't- thank god. She's beat up pretty bad, she's suffered a lot of blood loss, but...she'll pull through. We've just got to make sure that nothing gets infected and she heals nicely. I'm...sorry...that this happened, sir. We're just lucky police arrived on the scene when they did."

There was a heavy sigh, "I just don't understand what the fuck happened to begin with."

"I can answer that for you, sir. Do you mind if we go somewhere private and talk?"

"I'm not leaving my daughter's side."

"Honey...it's okay. I'll stay here. Go listen to what the man has to say..."

Another sigh, "...Fine."

"Thank you, sir."

There was the sound of feet scuffling, a door opening and closing lightly. Consistent beeping ticked off in a slow rhythm. More footsteps walked about the room, pausing periodically.

"Do you need anything, ma'am?"

"No...I'm fine." A hand wrapped around hers, squeezing softly as the voice spoke up again, "How is...?"

Several beats passed in silence, "We don't know. They're still tending to his wounds, but he's barely hanging on by a thread. We'll be lucky if he makes it in the next 12 hours."

"Oh, no..."

_Kakashi...?_

Sakura stirred slowly, head rolling over to the side; greeted with an instant wave of nausea. Her stomach felt sour, her head was spinning, and she felt hot all over. Eyes cracked open lethargically, saliva rushing into her mouth at the same time she doubled over the bed; heaving loudly as bile came vomiting out. A woman was at her side, bracing her as Sakura continued to heave; her sinuses burning and her eyes watering. Each muscle contraction brought a fresh wave of sickness, each surge of acid burning a trail up and down her throat. Hands were on her back, rubbing soothing patterns as Sakura began to sob; the events of what she went through flooding her mind in an instant. The heart rate monitor began to beep faster, her heart thrumming in erratic beats as she sat up; struggling to get her bearings.

There was a nurse beside her, smiling at her sympathetically while to her left was her mom in a wheelchair; with casts and slings on, bandages on her wounds and an IV beside her. Her eyes were incredibly sad as she looked upon Sakura; worry etching her otherwise smooth complexion.

Mebuki squeezed Sakura's hand again, "Hi, blossom."

The nurse held out a cup of water with a straw in it, "Here, honey. Drink some of this. Your body is still in shock, plus the pain meds we gave you—you might be sick for just a little longer."

Sakura wordlessly took the cup, taking small sips as she tried to level her breathing.

All she could see in her head was Kakashi's throat getting slit—over and over and over again. All that played was the sound of his bloodied gurgling; filling her ears and causing her heartrate to spike wildly. All she could feel was hands assaulting her, a blade splitting her skin, and hot blood spilling over. The echo of Sota's laughter bouncing around in her head, his mocking screams as she cried out in pain. Her body hurt all over, she felt dried up and dehydrated.

The door opened, and Kizashi stepped in, followed by a man in a suit she didn't recognize. The moment her father caught her gaze, he quickly moved to the side of the med Mebuki was on; leaning over her and rubbing his hand on top of Sakura's head, "Are you okay, blossom?"

"I...I feel sick," Sakura rasped tiredly.

The nurse, who just finished cleaning where Sakura threw up, nodded knowingly, "You'll feel sick for awhile, I'm afraid. I'll keep a trash can just here for you, in case you feel like throwing up again."

The man stepped forward at the edge of the hospital bed, "Sakura, I'm detective Kaito. I'm sorry for what happened to you. If you don't mind," Kaito glanced around the room at everyone else in there, "I need to speak with Sakura—alone."

Kizashi snorted, "You're fucking high if you think-"

"Sir," Kaito decapitated coolly. "This is official police business. I have to speak with her alone. It'll take not fifteen minutes."

Mebuki glanced up at Kizashi, "Come on, honey. You heard the man."

Kizashi scowled at Kaito deeply before looking at Sakura, his expression softening, "We'll be just outside, blossom." He leaned forward, kissing Sakura on the forehead while Mebuki squeezed her hand again and smiled; Kizashi grabbing the handles of the wheelchair and slowly wheeling her out; the nurse holding the door open and following them.

The door closed with a soft click, and Kaito grabbed a chair by the window; dragging it to the right side of the bed and sitting down. He leaned back in the chair, pulling out a small notebook and pen while he spoke, "Sakura- I am terribly sorry you got wrapped up in all of this."

"Wrapped up is an understatement," Sakura replied huskily. "That man...he..."

Kaito nodded, "I know, Sakura. I know everything there is to know about 'that man.' You're incredibly lucky to be alive. The team did a great job showing up, bringing cops with them, our agents, and US agents. They pulled all the strings they could pull and then some."

"The team...you mean...?"

Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly, "Yes, that team. Ancient of Days. The Japanese Public Security Intelligence Agency has been working very closely with Ancient of Days since the seventies. This job having to do with...Sota...was a long and tedious job—for all of us involved. I personally know te in's and out's of the team because I've worked with them for over thirty years. I've been on the Yakuza case with them for twenty years. It's a never-ending job, but the team always manages to pull through what the agency can't for some reason. Again, this time around- I'm sorry you became a victim in all of this. I know Kakashi was doing his damnedest to-"

Sakura bolted forward, wincing in pain and eyes wide, "Kakashi. Where is he? What happened? What did they do with him?"

Kaito's brow twitched, though his expression remained the same, "He's alive, if that's what you're wondering...but barely, Sakura."

"What do you mean?" Sakura breathed, fear spiking along her chest.

"You don't remember?"

Sakura faltered, "I...I remember...seeing him get his throat slit. I remember seeing him on top of Sota...I remember holding him, but...nothing after that."

Kaito sighed, "That would be because you passed out due to blood loss. The team shows up, some of my agents and I show up, cops show up, and American agents show up. You and Kakashi both lost so much blood that when the paramedics arrived, they were sure both of you had died- and Kakashi did. When they got to you two, his heart was barely pumping. They got him into the van, his heart stopped. He was dead for about three minutes before they managed to get his heart going again. He's been out ever since. His wounds are tended to, but they estimate that he won't make it past 12 hours, Sakura. He was really beat up. Broken fingers, burns all over his body—his face cut up, four stab wounds, fatal gashes, busted face, his neck was swollen from being strangled—Sota and his men pulled all the stops. We're surprised he didn't die sooner. We're surprised he was even able to attack Sota the way he did."

Sakura shuddered at the name, her eyes watering at hearing everything that happed to Kakashi. She shook her head, tears welling, "S-Sota...is...is he...?"

"He's dead, Sakura. Kakashi made sure of that."

"Is he going to get in trouble for...for killing him?"

Kaito propped his forearms on his knees, "No, he's not. Sota was a man that—even if we really needed him alive—everyone wanted dead. I was able to chalk it up to self-defense for him, once I gave them the details of what happened to you two. Not to mention, some American agents around here owe me a couple favors, so we pulled some strings just to make sure he doesn't get in trouble."

Apart of Sakura wondered if she should be upset with the fact that Kakashi killed a man. Anyone else might have been upset, but she just couldn't muster the feeling. It didn't even scare her, if she was being honest. He was fighting for her, fighting to protect her and take down a monster that needed to be killed. Sure, the sight was gruesome and she knew it would take time for her to unsee it—but she was honestly grateful. Kakashi was a man of his word, and he told Sota over and over again that he was going to end him—and that's exactly what he did. He killed him, and no one cared even in the slightest. Everyone wanted him dead.

Sakura wanted him dead the moment she saw what they had done to Kakashi.  
She wanted him dead when she watched the blade break skin across his throat, blood spurting out and coating the floor.

"Sakura," Kaito titled earnestly, breaking her out of her train of thought. "I hate to break it to you, but it's got to be said—chances are, Kakashi is going to die. Luckily Sota was sloppy with slitting his throat—he didn't hit any main arteries or jugulars. But, the man took on so much damage, he lost so much blood that even with the transfusion; he's barely hanging on."

Tears spilled over her cheeks as she shook her head back and forth, "I have to go see him. I can't stay here. Where is he? I have to go." Sakura leaned forward to move, flinching when she felt a sudden stabbing pain, and falling back onto the bed.

"I'm afraid that can't happen, Sakura. You're just as badly injured. You lost so much blood that you were just as close to death as he was. You are lucky to be alive and you should count your blessings."

"I don't want to be alive if Kakashi dies," Sakura sobbed, heaving and sniffing. Pain fluttered in the pit of her stomach, blooming across her chest, and causing her heart to hurt. She couldn't handle this. She couldn't handle hearing it, when she swore to god she saw him die in her arms. He died trying to protect her, and it fucking hurt. Guilt curled its claws into her mind, squeezing painfully and causing another sob to break through.

Kaito pat her shoulder tenderly, "I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm just relaying over what the doctors told me. I also need you to know that we've told your parents a different story."

Sakura glanced up, tears streaming down her face, "What?"

"Well," Kaito sighed, "we can't have them really knowing what's going on. As far as your parents know and the hospital staff knows—this was just a shitty run in with some bad people. We told them that they followed you two from the hospital to the hotel and attacked there. Crimes like this happen pretty often, so it's not unheard of. The last thing we want is your parents knowing you were involved in some heavy Yakuza happenings. You understand that your mother's wreck was Sota's doing—don't you?"

Sakura started, breath hitching as glassy emerald eyes bore into apologetic brown ones. "What did you say...?" She muttered, clutching her stomach. "Sota...he did that...?"

Kaito grimaced, "I'm afraid so. The team had one of his main men. They interrogated him and found out that all of this was a ploy to flush you out so he can get his hands on you."

"My mom..." Sakura whimpered, lip trembling as she tried to wrap her mind around the news. She raised her head, "So that means Sasuke...this was all his plan...?"

"Unfortunately, yes. As far as Sasuke goes—we've handled that. He filed a report to the police having to do with what happened to him in the hall, but I took care of all the details and talked with him personally—so don't worry, I made sure he doesn't say anything to your parents. I hate to hit you with all this information at once—especially now that you've woken up—but you need to know the truth. The team interrogated the man, and when they couldn't get ahold of you or Kakashi they flew right over. You're incredibly lucky. Had they waited any longer than they said they would—you would certainly be dead."

"Are they safe now?" Sakura immediately spat.

Kaito placed a hand on Sakura's upper arm, "Yes, Sakura. The team did a good job capturing his grunts, and with Sota out of the picture for good—that chapter is shut down. I'm sure you heard, but Sota wasn't really popular as far as the Yakuza head went—so it's not a loss for them and they'll continue their efforts with other things they've got planned. Tokyo is free of Sota and his goons."

"What about those two big men?" Sakura muttered anxiously.

At this, Kaito laughed, "You can thank the team for that one. Guy fucked one of them up senseless, and then two others got the other one in no time. My agency has them in custody and we'll deal with them. Don't worry—they'll be locked up forever, so you'll never have to worry about them again."

"That seems too good to be true," Sakura whispered, threading her fingers together. "I just can't believe it's over that easily."

"Well, believe it, Sakura. Once we get our hands on the men, it's over for good. The problem was getting our hands on them because they're so slippery. Even for the team, whose taken down boss after boss, had months and months of a hard time getting to them...If it makes you feel better, we're going to hold off on giving the team any Yakuza jobs for awhile. We think they could use a break to take care of their regualr jobs within Ancient of Days themselves. It'll be a good year or so before we recruit them for another job again. So, if Kakashi lives..." Kaito's brow furrowed, "...then you don't have to worry about that any more. I understand there's something going on between you two—right?"

Sakura's face fell, "Yeah...yeah, there is."

Kaito nodded knowingly, "I see. Do me a favor—don't hold any of this against Kakashi. I've worked with him for a long time, and he's not this murdering monster- I promise. He was just fighting-"

"Fighting for me," Sakura muttered guiltily. "I know...and I don't blame him, or whatever. I understand."

"Don't be hard on yourself, either. None of this is your fault—you are a victim. Sota was a sick, sick man who set his sights on you. Kakashi and the team did everything in their power to keep you as safe as possible—you've just got to realize that Sota was a very sick, slippery guy. He was as cunning as he was dangerous. Between you and me, I'm glad the fucker's dead."

"I am too," Sakura replied, glancing down at her hands. "Where is everyone? Did the whole team fly here?"

Kaito rubbed his stubbled jaw, "No, not all of them. Neji, Shino, Guy, Lee, Kiba, and Shikamaru. I think they're all in either the waiting room or Kakashi's room."

"Whose Guy?"

Kaito chuckled, "He looks almost exactly like Lee. He's apart of Ancient of Days, just another Tokyo chapter."

Sakura wiped away a tear, "What room is Kakashi in?"

Kaito shook his head, "Just a couple rooms down from here, I think. I haven't seen him, yet. I've been talking with the doctors, your parents, more agents..." He sighed, "I hate the details of this job, but it's got to be done. We're sewing everything up so the media doesn't get ahold of this either. Now," Kaito glanced down at his watch. "I've got to go. More business to attend to."

"You're not upset about Kakashi..?" Sakura pressed, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from crying.

Kaito's eyes grew soft, a low, blowing out a heavy gust of air, "I'm just as upset as you are, Sakura. I've known him since he was a kid- I've worked with his dad. The team means a lot to me, as I'm sure they mean a lot to you. Now you rest." He pat her hand, smiling sadly before exiting the room quietly.

Not five minutes passed before her parents came back in; Kizashi wheeling in her mom. They halted at her left side, eyes wide with concern as they gazed upon her. Kizashi leaned in, planting a small kiss on the side of her head; Mebuki holding her hand tenderly while Sakura tried her hardest to collect herself. For some reason, she didn't want her parents to see her break. She knew it would only stress them out more. She wanted to be strong, like Kakashi was. She wanted to grit her teeth and bear it, like he did. She was overwhelmed. She felt guilty. She felt sick. She wanted to be strong. But the more she thought about losing him, the more it hurt. They sat there in silence; Sakura's parents comforting her sweetly as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

At some point, Sakura woke up to her parents shuffling out of the way as a nurse came in to check her vitals and replace the IV bag. The nurses muttering something to her parents about it being okay if they wanted to leave—that Sakura would be out for the rest of the night because of the meds. Sakura wasn't sure; she was pretty drugged up at the moment. Her father kissed her forehead goodnight, and her mother whispered that she loved her and she'd see her in the morning. Sakura fell back asleep after that, though she wasn't having the best time sleeping, either. Each time she passed out, she succumbed to nightmares of Kakashi dying—and each time she woke up, she'd tell herself she was going to get up to go see him, only to doze back off again. She couldn't fight the sleep the medicine gave her, and she hated it.  
She has had enough with being drugged.

The next time Sakura woke up, it was to the sound of someone trying to cough quietly. She squinted her eyes, trying to make sense of the form that sat on the couch in the corner of the room.

"Kiba...?" She called, the slightest hint of fear spiking instantly.

The figure stood, coming into clear view, "Yeah, Sakura. It's me."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, good..."

Kiba stood by the right side of the bed, frowning down on her, "How are you feeling, Sakura?"

Sakura slowly plucked a shoulder, "Sick and tired. My body hurts pretty bad."

"Well, you took a fucking beating, Sakura..."

"Kiba..." Sakura began, a fresh wave of emotion hitting her like a monsoon. "Thank you fo-"

Kiba held up a hand, "No, Sakura. Don't thank us. We fucked up royally. Had we been on top of things like Kakashi was bitching at us to, things could have been different."

Sakura shook her head, "I don't think so, Kiba. With the way Sota was...I just...I don't think so. All I can say is thank you for doing everything you did. Kakashi and I wouldn't be here if..." Sakura paused, choking on her words and trembling, the thought of Kakashi not being here overwhelming her.

"Sakura..." Kiba titled, reaching out to grab her hand.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head back and forth; tears shaking away as she did. She bit down on her lip hard, heaving a cry so heavy that it echoed in the room. She began to sob uncontrollably, crying so hard it made her throat and chest hurt. She tried to reel herself in, but she couldn't. She told herself crying in front of Kiba was humiliating—but she didn't care. Having him there felt comfortable, and she had been trying so hard to contain her emotions that they were exploding out of her now; pouring over and unending. Kiba remained still by her side; holding her hand tightly and rubbing his other hand across her shoulders in a manner that she never saw Kiba behave in before. Each sob caused her wounds to sting, which made her flinch each time. She tried to hide her face, but even hunching over hurt too much. All she could do was sob and let it happen.

Sakura wiped at her face furiously, hiccupping as she spoke, "Hav-have you s-seen Kakash-shi?"

Kiba nodded slowly, "Yeah, I have. He's just three rooms down from you, actually. I'm not supposed to be in here, but I just had to see you Sakura. I just had to make sure you're okay..."

Sakura shook her head, "I'm not okay, Kiba. I can't be okay knowing that they're giving him 12 hours."

Kiba's brow twitched down in an angry grimace, "Fuck those doctors, Sakura—they don't know shit. Kakashi is strong, he'll pull through."

"Don't just say things to try to make me feel better," Sakura remarked sadly. "Tell me the truth. How does he look?"

Kiba scoffed, "I am telling you the truth. I'll be honest, he doesn't look great. But I've seen him like this before—and he pulled through. I know he'll make it, Sakura. No doctor can convince me otherwise."

Sakura tried to sit up, gritting her teeth past the pain, "Take me to see him."

"No way, Sakura. You're in no position to be walking around right now."

Sakura turned her gaze to Kiba's, emerald eyes pleading, "Please, Kiba. I can't stand to not see him. I have to be beside him. Especially if..."

Kiba shook his head, "Don't talk like that. Have faith in the guy—he's made it out of much worse."

"How can you say that?" Sakura rebutted sharply. "His throat was slit. I watched it happen before my very eyes."

Kiba's expression softened, "Just trust me, Sakura. I've seen the guy go through worse and come out of it. Sure, according to the doctors the odds are grim—but he's always been a lucky guy. Even if it's been by the skin of his teeth, he's pulled through."

"Don't get my hopes up," Sakura whimpered, blinking when Kiba's hand came up to wipe away a tear.

"Sakura," He began, shaking his head. "I care for you a lot like I care for my sister. I love you the way I love Kakashi—the whole team does. I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't think it was true. I get that you trust doctors more because you work in the medical field, but I've been around Kakashi long enough to know the guy in and out. He's never not pulled through. I'm not saying this to make you feel better because, you know me enough by now to know that I don't tip toe around the fucking tulips. Like I said, have faith in the guy."

Sakura sniffed, "I hope you're right, Kiba...I can't stand to lose him."

"Neither could I, Sakura."

"Take me to him."

Kiba blinked, "Uh...what?"

Slowly, Sakura began to try to pull herself off of the bed; grunting in pain and hissing between her teeth as she moved. Kiba placed his hands on her shoulders, scowling at her, "Sakura, you're not supposed to be moving around. You need your rest, you need-"

"Fuck rest," Sakura mumbled, swiveling her legs over the edge of the bed. "I have to see him. Either you help me, or don't- I'm still going to go see him."

Kiba sighed heavily, "You're a fucking bully, Sakura. You're more stubborn than a fucking donkey, I swear to god."

Sakura paused, holding her hand out to Kiba; eyes pleading. "Please," she whispered. "Take me to him."

Kiba glanced at her hand for several seconds before cussing under his breath and shaking his head; hand coming out to clasp with hers, "Fine. But if the doctors say some shit, I'm blaming you."

"Blame away," Sakura murmured, groaning in pain when Kiba carefully pulled her off the bed and steadied her. She wobbled slightly, the muscles in her legs screaming along with the gauze covered wounds on the inside of her thighs. "Grab that pole with the IV bags; there's wheels on the bottom—it'll have to come with us."

"What about your heart monitor?" Kiba asked, glancing around as he walked towards the pole.

"Unplug it," Sakura answered uneasily, her face crumbled in pain.

"Sakura, I'm not-"

"Kiba, just- please. Unplug it."

Kiba huffed, "Fine. Just to let you know, I'm kicking your ass when you're healed up for being such a bully to me."

"I'll look forward to it," Sakura replied, placing her hand on Kiba's shoulder and taking a slow, deliberate step; pushing past the pain as best as she could.

"Uuuh- Sakura...Not to be a creep, but the back of your gown is open. I can literally see your ass," Kiba enunciated clearly, turning is gaze and scratching the back of his head.

"Oh," Sakura breathed, pausing to try to reach around to tie them and giving out a small wail when the wounds under her breasts twitched; causing a sharp stabbing pain.

"Fuck me," Kiba grumbled, gently moving her hands away and starting to tie together the strings on the back of her gown. "Don't say I never did nothin' for you."

"Thank you, Kiba," Sakura mumbled, grabbing back onto his shoulder and letting him slowly guide her out of the room and down the hall.

Each step she took was painstakingly gruesome. She could feel her stitched wounds stretching, stabbing, burning, and stinging. Even if she took in too deep of a breath; it hurt. She had to wobble, to keep pressure off the inside of her thighs as much as possible. She did her best to mask the pain so Kiba wouldn't change his mind and try to take her back. She did her best to be quiet as possible, so the nurses wouldn't come around and stop them. Kiba carefully lead the way, pausing at the third door away from her room and opening the door.

Light poured in, and Sakura saw a small group of people in the room—realizing it was the guys from the team. Guy, Lee, and Neji were sat on the couch, Shikamaru was sitting in a chair, and Shino was standing in a corner of the room; hands stuffed in his pockets. The curtain was pulled halfway around; hiding Kakashi and the bed. As Kiba gingerly brought Sakura in, eyes flashed and they all stood up. She watched their expressions; stress, pity, and concern etched across their features.

Shino was the first to speak up, "Sakura...you know you're supposed to be resting."

Kiba scoffed behind her, rolling the IV close to her, "Yeah, well good luck trying to convince her any different. She bullied me into taking her here."

"I'm sorry about your jacket, Shino," Sakura muttered, remembering that he hung his jacket around her naked, bloody body.

Shino shrugged, "It's just a jacket. I can always get another. What matters is that you really should get back to your room and rest—Kakashi will still be here when-"

"Shino, I know you mean well—but please, save it," Sakura decapitated tiredly. "I want to be in here with him."

Shino and Shika shared a glance, and Shika sighed; plucking his shoulder and narrowing his eyes at Sakura, "You're such a pain in the ass...at any rate, I'm just going to say it: I don't think you should see Kakashi right now...he looks pretty rough."

Sakura raised her chin defiantly, "I can handle it."

Lee stood, walking over to Sakura and taking her hand in his, "Sakura- I am so sorry for what happened. I wish we could have-"

"Lee," Sakura remarked softly. "You don't need to apologize. None of you do," she glanced around the room at the collection of concerned expressions. "You saved us."

Lee frowned deeply, "You heard about Kakashi...right?"

"He'll pull through," Kiba grunted, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder and guiding her to the chair Shika was sitting in. Sakura took a step forward, hissing at the sharp stabbing pain she felt between her hips; doubling over and moaning darkly. The men circled her, hands out—unsure of what to do. Sakura tried to straighten, but only pulled more at her wounds; lamenting again.

"I told you this was a bad idea," Kiba remarked, his tone stressed. "I'm going to go get a nurse."

"No," Sakura snapped softly, sluggishly rolling up her spine and setting her teeth. "I'm okay. Just...let me sit down."

Shika turned, pulling out a chair and setting it down behind the curtain. He gestured with his fingers for Lee to bring her over. Little by little, Sakura made her way over while Kiba followed close behind with the IV. The closer she got, the more she began to see Kakashi. It started with his feet, going up to blanketed long legs, up a gown covered torso...Sakura couldn't help the gasp that rose from her throat.

It was just as Kaito said.

He had gauze covered burn marks up and down his arms, with long strips of bloodied gauze on his torso. His neck was shades of purple and blue, he had small braces for his broken fingers, and a thick strip of taped gauze where his neck was slit—just the tiniest hint of blood leaking out. His face was almost completely covered in gauze—wrapped around his head and covering the right eye, leaving just the left to be seen. His lip was busted, there was multicolored bruising all over his face. Once she was on the right side of the bed, she carefully lowered herself in the chair, eyes never leaving Kakashi's gauze-covered face. His free eye was closed, his breathing was too slow for her liking, and his heart-rate dull.

Sakura glanced up at Kiba, "Can you do me a favor?"

Kiba deadpanned, "I mean I've already broken one rule for you—what's one more?"

"This is going to sound weird, but can you lift up his gown?"

Kiba's jaw went slack, "Uh...no?"

Sakura sighed, "It's not like that. I just want to see the damage he took on his torso—but I can't really reach over to pull it up."

Kiba glanced around briefly, "Is there a reason you need to see that?"

"I just need to see it for myself. It'll help me feel better if I can gauge how bad it is for myself."

"Sakura, he's probably butt naked in that thing—the last thing I want to do is see his dick or touch it by accident."

"I'll do it," Shino muttered, cutting his way in front of Kiba and reaching to bunch the gown up. "I get it, Sakura. It's better to know for yourself. I'm the same way."

"So...you're both pervs—is that what I'm gathering?" Kiba mused, going to stand by Lee's side.

Shino, even with his shades on, cast Kiba a withering glance before having the gown bunched all the way up to Kakashi's chin; revealing the plethora of dark, nasty bruises that spread all over Kakashi's torso. Most were centered in his gut, where he had been punched the most. Others blossomed like sickening flowers across his chest, specked with other gauze covered gashes they had caused him.

"The doctor said that he broke a rib, too," Shino muttered, not tearing his gaze away from the disheartening bruising.

Sakura frowned, her face growing hot and tears beginning to slip their way down her face; small hands reaching forward as far as she could go to gently brush against the tender flesh. Sakura was sure she was covered in bruises, too. She could feel them all over her body, on her stomach, her breasts, and in between her legs on her inner thighs. She was even sure she had bruising on her face from how often and how hard they slapped her. They both looked awful, and she didn't blame the men for taking precaution or even warning Sakura he looked bad.

Because, he looked really bad.

His face was ashen; his lips pale. There was no life to his expression. She used to love falling asleep to his slow breathing, but now she found it haunting. She wanted to kiss his bruises away. She wanted him to be healed, happy, and healthy. Instead, he was suffering and in pain. He was teetering between life and death; and there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't save him, she couldn't help him. Without even realizing it, a soft cry erupted deep from within her chest; fresh tears streaming down her face as she gently felt around his bruises, her touches fleeting. She closed her eyes, crying heavily and wishing there was more she could do.

To her side came a very hoarse, subtle voice, "Are you...trying to molest me...?"

Sakura's eyes snapped open, greeted with the lethargic gaze of an onyx one. She gasped, crying even harder as she uttered out, "Kakashi!"


	35. Sunset

Jesus-fucking-Christ he was in a lot of pain.

Being a shinobi, it was not without the POW interrogation or two. A smart ninja never lets up, no matter how bad the punishment is—and it was bad. They pulled almost all the stops, and then some, to try to get Kakashi to talk. First, it was about who he was working for and why. Second, it had to do with Sakura—trying to find out what he had to do with her, why he was hiding her, and bribing him by stating they'd let her go if he simply gave up all the information he had. Fact of the matter is, Kakashi wasn't born yesterday. He knew they'd never let Sakura go, and he knew talking would be useless because at the end of the day—they were going to do everything they could to make sure both him and Sakura were tortured. He kept his mouth shut and grit his teeth through the pain; desperately trying to formulate a plan in his head, despite the drugs they had pumped into him. At some point, the combination of drugs and abuse got to him; causing his body to go into shock and him to pass out—where he woke up later directly across from Sakura.

The sight of her tore him in two.

She looked abused, her expression distraught, and her body openly tremoring. He could see bruises forming on her face—proof that those sick fucks laid their hands on her. Rage sparked in the pit of his stomach, and despite the nausea he felt and the fog he was in—he was determined to kill Sota. For each time he hurt Sakura and Kakashi was forced to watch—he made another tick in his head of how many times he was going to slam the fucker's skull into the concrete. For each disgusting glance he cast Sakura's way—he was going to make sure the fucker was never able to see again. For each time he caused Sakura pain, caused her to scream and cry—Kakashi was damn sure that Sota was going to suffer sevenfold. Even as the two meat heads beat the fuck out of him, even with broken fingers and bones, the blood pouring out of his throat and the life leaving him—he was going to end that son of a bitch.

And he did.

He doesn't remember much outside of killing Sota—only that he heard Shino's voice mutter in his ear in passing, "That's enough. He's dead, and she's watching." He tried to glance her way, but he was too weak by then—the last of his efforts set on killing Sota. He collapsed, and before darkness took over, he got to look into teary emerald eyes—begging them to forgive him for what she saw. Pleading that she forgive him for what she was forced to endure. He figured, in that moment, he was as good as dead. He counted himself lucky, holding her cheek and gazing into her depths when he succumbed. He didn't know what met him in the afterlife, but a part of him hoped it was the memory of her gaze he'd be able to carry with him where ever his soul was going. Heaven or hell, Valhalla or Reincarnation—as long as Sakura was embedded in his heart forever, he was okay. He heard Shino's voice—meaning he must have been there. If Shino was there, that meant some of the team was there—which meant Sakura was going to be okay. She was finally going to be safe; that's all that mattered to him.

He was sure he was dead.  
Though, he never saw any light. There was no tunnel, no heavenly voice to guide him. It was Sakura's heart-shattering screams that echoed in the pitch-black night; shocking him to the bone and bringing him back to the forefront of his mind.

Voices were humming in the background, buzzing about and muttering darkly. One minute they were frantic—dimmed shouts and commands he couldn't make out. He was moving, but not on his own accord. There was chaos, and then there was silence. There was pain, and then there was ease. As much as the darkness appealed to him—as easy as it seemed to let go and fall into the murky depths; all he saw were Sakura's eyes. All her heard were her screams, and they haunted him. He was running, but in no direction. He was calling out, but it was his own voice that bounced back. He was wading through deep waters, very nearly at his neck when he heard her voice again. It was small, at first—as though he had cotton in his ears. He began to make his way to her voice, desperate to break through the graphite that surrounded him. The closer he got, the more her voice began to pierce through—the first glimpse of light, sparkling and beautiful; blinding and aweing him. It carried him through, until he was there; soft, fleeting touches along his skin that reminded him he was in fact alive.

When he cracked open his eye, she was blurry at first; hazy pink hair ducked down and shaking. He blinked away the watery film over his eye, focusing in on everything that mattered to him; crumbling and breaking before him. Her small hand was flayed across his flesh, lightly grazing the bruises there and in an instant, he knew what she was doing. She was gauging his injuries the same way she did with her mother, the same way she does with her patients—getting an idea of how bad it is, and what she can expect. Seeing her cry, he hated it. He'd seen her cry enough. He heard her scream enough. He only wanted to see that beautiful smile, he only wanted to give her the world.

"Are you...trying to molest me...?" he muttered, internally wincing at the pain it caused him, and the sound of his voice. It was barely above a whisper, and for a second, he wondered if she even heard him; until her head popped up, green eyes wide.

"Kakashi!" She was bawling, eyes so bloodshot and swollen it hurt him to watch.

He flashed a smile, "Feeling me up...in a hospital...isn't very professional, bunny."

Sakura leaned forward slightly, lower lip trembling as she spoke, "Kakashi I am so fucking happy you're awake—the doctors said that you wouldn't make twelve hours...I just," she sniffed, wiping away a tear only to be replaced with more. "I'm so sorry, Kakashi. I'm so sorry you got hurt, I'm so sorry for what happened, I wish-"

"Sakura," Kakashi titled hoarsely. "don't apologize. You did nothing wrong, none of this was your fault. I told you I would do anything to protect you, and..." he gulped slowly, flinching at the sting. "I...I couldn't protect you all the way, Sakura. You still got hurt, and that's my fault. I should have-"

Kiba interrupted him with a scoff, "Would the both of you quit that shit?"

Both Kakashi and Sakura turned their attention to Kiba, who was standing at the foot of the bed. He shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Don't apologize to each other for shit that was out of your control."

"You were in a compromising situation," Shino spoke up from the corner of the room. "You both did your best with what you could do in that situation. You're not superman, Kakashi—and you're not responsible for Sota's sick efforts, Sakura. What matters is that you're both alive, and that sick fuck is gone for good."

"Speaking of alive," Kakashi rasped, turning is one-eyed gaze to Kiba. "Mind telling me how you all figured out what was happening? Surely it wasn't your Spidey-senses tingling..."

Kiba sighed, and the room got tense. Kiba scratched the back of his head, "If anyone should be apologizing...it's us. I should have listened to you, Kakashi. We should have just gone over Tsunade's head and interrogated the fucker. We got lucky and managed to finish most of the jobs early—giving us time to interrogate Hisato earlier than what we planned. We get all the information from him—we found out that this was all Sota's plan to begin with. I tried calling both of you, you didn't answer—so we flew straight here. We figured Sota already had his hands on you and honestly—we almost thought we were too late."

"We were fucking idiots," Neji remarked bitterly. "Yeah, you're alive—but you both nearly died. You both suffered because of our neglect. We can't express enough just how shitty we feel. We should have known better."

Kakashi scowled, "Yeah- you should have known better...I understand your hands being tied because of Tsunade, but...One of you could have grown the balls to tell her something. In fact, I should have called her. In a way, this is everyone's fault that we slacked. We all failed where we should have succeeded. Moving forward, let's think this shit through. We can never afford for something like this to be happening again. At any rate..." He swallowed again, "I want to thank you all for coming here. I know it must have been hard, and you have no idea how thankful I am. Had you all not shown up...I just don't know what would have happened. Thank you, honestly. That being said," Kakashi glanced down at his naked torso; grimacing at just how bad it looked. "Who rolled up my gown? Was it you, Sakura—you naughty little minx."

A very small smirk tugged at her mouth. She shook her head, "You shouldn't be talking. And no—Shino did it, I just needed to see...I'm glad you're awake, Kakashi...I was so scared I was going to lose you."

"I told you to have faith in the guy," Kiba remarked. "He always pulls through—always."

Kakashi ignored Kiba, locking his eye with Sakura's heavy gaze, "You'll never lose me, Sakura. I'll always be here for you...You know, it was your voice I heard. I was in the dark, just wandering around...and I heard your voice... You guided me out of the dark, Sakura. You saved me."

Sakura's brow twitched, small tears slipping their way down her face, "You saved me. You all saved me," she glanced around. "I have no way of expressing how thankful I am."

"No need to," Lee replied with a curt nod. "Both of you are alive—that's all that matters. Sota is...for lack of better words...dead. Kaito has the brothers, grunts were captured—it's almost all sewn up, now."

"Speaking of Kaito," Sakura began softly, tapping her fingers very lightly across Kakashi's stomach. "He came and spoke with me...He said that they were going to hold off on assigning you all jobs having to do with the Yakuza for a while."

Guy nodded, hands clasped together, "That's probably for the best, right now. These past few Yakuza jobs have been heavy for all the chapters. It'll be nice to just focus on jobs within Ancient of Days."

"He also told me that you're not going to get in trouble because of...Sota..." Sakura continued, glancing down at her hand briefly. "He said that he pulled some strings to chalk it up to self-defense."

Kakashi watched Sakura. He watched the way her brow twitched down and her slight grimace. There was so much he had to say—and he needed to say it now, despite how fucking much it hurt to talk. He turned his attention to the men standing around, "Guys...can you give Sakura and I some privacy for a bit?"

They nodded in unison, Neji commenting, "We'll be right outside." He watched them file out, the door clicking quietly behind them. He flicked his burning gaze back to Sakura; whose eyes were just as intense as his. He wasn't sure where to start, there was so much that he needed to say. Before he could get a word out, Sakura spoke up first.

"I'm not running away, you know."

Kakashi's brow flicked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." She paused, chewing on her lower lip. "I mean that...seeing what you did to Sota isn't going to drive me away. You were only doing what I wanted to do. You were only protecting me."

"That doesn't scare you at all...what I'm capable of?"

She shook her head, "Not at all. I know you well enough to know that at the core, you're not some murdering monster. You did what I didn't have the strength to do. You endured suffering just to end what was causing everyone else pain. You fought back...for me, for us, for the team...If anything, I think it's pretty noble."

Kakashi chucked, sounding like a croaking frog as he did, "I've been called a lot of things, Sakura—never noble."

Sakura smiled a small, soft smile, "Well...I think you're very noble. And strong. And smart. And safe. You're...you're my protector. You're my safe place. Even in the situation we were in...you still did everything you could. How can I be upset with that?"

"I'll admit," he remarked faintly. "I thought that you wouldn't be able to look past that. I worry that—when you look at me—all you see is what I was doing in that moment. I know it wasn't pretty, Sakura. I understand if...I understand if you can't be with me, after all of this. I get what you went through can do something to your mental health, and the last thing I want is to be a constant reminder-"

Sakura's face blanked, eyes shocked, "Excuse me? Kakashi," she leaned forward slightly, and he saw her teeth grit. He knew she was hurting just as bad as he was and he wished he could do something about it. "How could I possibly leave you—after everything? You showed your dedication and love in more ways than I can count. You fought evil people for me. You stayed strong—for me. If anything..." She shook her head, eyes earnest, "If anything, my love for you only draws deeper. I'm bonded to you in more ways than one, and I can't tear myself away from you. I can't lose you, Kakashi. I already thought you were gone when I held you—and that killed me. I can't go through that again. I can't lose you. I simply can't."

Kakashi's heart swelled, and if he wasn't so fucked up, he'd been running laps around the room. He smiled at her, "You'll never lose me, Sakura. You're the breath in my lungs, you've become my meaning to life. You're the reason I want to be a better man. You make me giddy like a teenager; you make me laugh—you're everything to me. You'll never lose me."

Sakura smiled, "Good...besides, I couldn't leave even if I wanted to."

"Why's that?" Kakashi rasped, wishing he could reach out and kiss her. The light of his life, the woman of his dreams, and hopefully one day: the mother of his children. He saw a burning, bright future with Sakura. He saw joy, peace, and prosperity with her. He saw sleepy mornings and late nights, snuggling with the dogs and cooking rice. He saw it all in her, and he'd go to the ends of the earth for her.

Sakura giggled lightly, her hand closing over his as her eyes twinkled, "I still owe you a date."

* * *

Her mother was teary-eyed when they were ready to fly back home. Once everyone got the all-clear to be released at the hospital—which wasn't for another five days- they hung around just a while longer; Sakura making sure she approved of her parent's stay-in nurse before they left. Kizashi kept clapping his hand over Kakashi's shoulder; repeatedly thanking him for protecting Sakura and saying he's a fine man. Mebuki kept pinching his cheeks, asking him to take great care of Sakura-making a remark about how beautiful her grandbabies are bound to be.

While Kakashi and Sakura hung around, the rest of the team took a flight back; having to finish up some last-minute things with Kaito. Kiba and Shino were the only two that stayed back with them; just to make sure nothing else happened and they made it back to Tokyo safe. When they were still in the hospital, Kakashi and Sakura had several long talks; deciding that Sakura would just live with him at the house, so she doesn't have to keep paying on an apartment she's not using. While when Kakashi initially pitched the idea, he had to admit he was nervous that Sakura was going to shoot it down; a deep part of him still worried she'd push him out, even after everything. But when her eyes lit up and a smile stretched wide across her face—his heart practically burst out of his chest.

It was really going to happen.  
He was really going to be spending the rest of his life with Sakura.  
He was so fucking giddy it hurt.

The flight back was long, but once they arrived back in Tokyo; he was glad to be home—and not have to worry about watching his or Sakura's back. Kiba and Shino both insisted that they go home with them, just to make sure they made it there safe. It was only when they tiredly walked through the door that the lights snapped on, and they were greeted by the entire team. Ino screamed at the top of her lungs, tears pouring down her face as she gently embraced Sakura; sobbing that she's so sorry for what happened, but she's so, SO glad she's alive. Even Tsunade was there, delivering her stiff apology and making a remark about never letting something like that happen again. The dogs greeted them wildly, jumping about and licking at their fingers. Choji had cooked up one of Sakura's favorite meals, and Hinata had hung up a very cute "Welcome Home" banner. While it seemed unnecessary to Kakashi, he understood why they did it—it was the celebration of life. Not just Kakashi's and Sakura's; or Naruto's; but everyone's life. Kakashi agreed with Guy in that these past Yakuza jobs have been particularly hard; each one resulting in a near loss. It was taking a toll on the team, as well as the loss of focus on jobs between chapters that needed taking care of. Plus, he knew that it would make Sakura feel better about everything—that, at least for the next year or so, the jobs won't be nearly as dangerous.

Sakura and Kakashi talked a lot at the hospital.

She opened up to him immensely, she was raw and real; it made him so fucking glad. She admitted to him that she'll always be worried about the jobs, but that she'll trust him and learn to manage her fears. She expressed her excitement in living with him for good- that she "honestly looked really forward to it." She opened her heart up, describing to him with tears in her eyes how awful it felt thinking he was dead; or that he only had 12 hours to live. Something snapped in her, she told him. Something changed, she said. "Whereas all my life I was determined to do it on my own—even with a partner...I find myself wanting to do it all with you. I don't want to be just Sakura. I want to be Sakura and Kakashi."

"Sakura Hatake...?" Kakashi smirked.

"It has a ring to it," she teased, biting down on her lip to hide her own cheeky grin.

And now, standing among his comrades; watching Sakura being surrounded by the girls as they talked—something snapped in him, too. This was a long, bumpy, winding road that she was unfortunately forced to go down. He knew it was going to take a while for her to feel normal again—he knew there was going to be consequences of what she had to endure. He also knew that he'd carry her through that season if she wanted to be carried; he'd walk beside her if she wanted him beside her. He'd hold her when she'd cry, he'd kiss her so carefully until she felt strong enough to kiss him wildly. He'd take his time with her, tending to her wounds and watering her until she blossomed once again. He'd let her lean on him, take from him, and rely on him. Kakashi knew it was going to be rocky, her healing process. He also knew that she was surrounded by an amazing support system—people who genuinely loved her almost as much as he loved her.

Almost.

* * *

_6 Months Later_

Things took time.

Sakura knew this.  
She hated it all the same.

While Kakashi seemed to be managing himself well, despite what they went through; it has been an incredibly difficult time for Sakura. She was glad she moved in with Kakashi—because there's no way she could have managed it on her own. Between night terrors, to always looking over her shoulder in public; Kakashi was always there. Holding her, telling her she's okay, and making her feel safe. She'd wake up screaming with his arms around her, placing soft kisses on her shoulder and reminding her no one is out to get her—he's forever six feet below, rotting away. He assured her that the Yakuza chapter they were after has been completely cut off—thanks to Kaito's last minute efforts after Riichi and Reiji were snagged. Despite their tough demeanors, they caved within minutes—giving Kaito and his detectives everything they needed to hear to cut that chapter off for good; which did make her feel better. The jobs Kakashi did go on, he reassured her often they were just base level jobs; no S-ranks in sight for some time. After about three months, she stopped feeling paranoid in public. The dreams continued for about the same amount of time, too—slowly falling off until she was dreaming everyday shit. What was the hardest for her to get over, was sex.

They haven't had sex since they did at the hotel in New York.

It had nothing to do with Kakashi, and everything to do with Sakura. Every time things got heated, she was brought straight back into that dank room; her breasts being squeezed painfully, being mocked and assaulted. Disgust would pull at her stomach, she'd tense, and she couldn't shake the image out of her mind. There were even times she'd purposely push herself—just to try to please Kakashi. It was only when she broke down crying and explained to him that she worried he would grow to resent her because they're not having sex. As always, the man was nothing but understanding; draping a robe over her trembling, naked form and hugging her tight; whispering in her ear they'll take as long as she needed.

"You're still my woman," he muttered, kissing the corner of her jaw. "I'll wait however long you need me to wait. I want sex to be enjoyable for you, Usagi—not frightening. Take all the time you need to heal, and tell me what I need to do to help you."

And that's just what he did.

Whatever interaction there was between them, he kept wholly chaste. Short, sweet kisses; tender hugs, and not moving in on her too fast. He never pushed past her boundaries, and he never made her feel bad for it. He would only go as far as she took it; with a smile on his face, no less. Though, she had to admit; as time went on and the bad memories began to fade—she was finding it harder and harder to control her lust around him. Living with him made it worse, because she had access to that body 24/7. Seeing him walking around the house naked early in the mornings, hot water droplets following the valley of his muscles and tempting her gaze to go lower. She found herself less being in that horrible room, and being more in the present.

Living with Kakashi was the best decision she made.

While some couples worried how they'd work together, the flow of life was seamless for Kakashi and Sakura. Mornings seemed effortless, late nights were lazy—and chores were a breeze. They walked the dogs together often, they often took turns cooking, and they were always on the same level as the other. If she were being honest, she really couldn't see herself sleeping alone again. His steady breathing was a comfort to her, his strong arms were safe, hot, and cozy. The dogs would sleep around their tangled forms, waking them up with slobbery kisses and soft yips. She loved it; she loved every single part of it.

She loved every single part of him.

She loved how hard he worked, how good he seemed to be with his money, and his loyalty to the team. She loved his lazy attitude—forever teaching her to wind down. He brought balance into her life, he grounded her, and he held her. Sakura felt like the luckiest woman on the face of the globe—and sure, maybe she was being biased; she didn't care. He was her soulmate, a puzzle piece that fit easily. She knew it, deep in her gut she knew; he was the man for her. No more pushing him out—he was a part of her forever. No more shutting him away—she couldn't, even if she tried. Sakura was always raw and open in front of him, and for the first time ever she loved it.

Fucking Christ, she loved him.

After they arrived back in Tokyo, Sakura was given three weeks to heal and settle before she was set to go back to work. Both her and Kakashi healed perfectly from the damage inflicted on them; something she was incredibly thankful for—all they had now were scars. In the beginning, it was a bit tough for her—she had a hard time focusing on the job at hand. Luckily, Himari was nothing but understanding; not giving Sakura too heavy of a load to handle. As the weeks ticked by, and Sakura began to heal more and more; she was able to take on more responsibilities again until she was basically Himari's right hand; working alongside her and handling patient after patient with no problem. In the beginning, she was nervous to go to work; and now she found herself as eager as she had been the first day she walked through those double doors. She was bringing home money again; she was helping people heal; she had a purpose again. To further her joy, she learned that her mom was doing amazing in therapy, and that she's getting stronger day by day.

Sometime during the second month since they've been back, Sakura started taking Taijutsu with Lee. The man was ever-patient with her; starting her from the very beginning. She met with him one to two times a week; training not just her body, but her mind as well. She found the stronger she became, the better she felt. For each fist she thrust, she let go little by little those deep, deep fears and nightmares. Left with nothing but the scars. She became a stronger version of herself; more disciplined, more self-assured.

That's why, when Kakashi had to leave for a week on a job, she didn't freak out. She trusted him, she trusted the team; they were all strong and capable. The week did pass slowly for her, simply because by day five she was missing the shit out of him. Sure, the girls did a good job of coming over to hang out with her and gal out; but even still, she found herself wishing he was in the house with her. Day six rolled around, and the woman was pretty distracted; she _really _missed him.

Sakura was at work and she had just finished up with a patient; crumpling the paper seat cover and replacing it with a new one. She tossed the medical equipment wrappers, she sanitized everything, and she put everything else away; getting ready for the end of the day. It had been particularly busy today, and where she hoped it would keep her from thinking about Kakashi—it didn't. Even as she listened in on a patient's heart-beat; she was focused on how hot he looked in his uniform. Flak jacket, wraps, and a mesh undershirt that was particularly sinful the way the threads held onto his muscled body. She was practically drooling after him when he followed Kiba out; fighting the urge to drag him back inside and wreck shop.

Yeah, she was definitely healing.

While washing her hands in the sink, she heard the door open behind her. Not tearing her gaze away from her soapy hands, Sakura began to speak, "Hey, Himari. I just wanted to let you know that I'm pretty much done here. I've got paperwork I'll drop off at the office, but other than that-"

"Other than that?" The deep voiced hummed, arms very carefully looping around her waist and pulling her tight against a hard chest.

Sakura leaned her head back against him, unable to mask the stupid smile that spread across her face, "You're back early!"

Kakashi nuzzled her neck, "Mmm, mmm-hmm; I am. We got it done pretty quick, it was just an escort job at any rate."

"Ahh," Sakura nodded knowingly. "Remind me again, who were you escorting—and why did you need five of you to do it?"

Kakashi kissed her neck, "We had to escort a very rich gentleman named Reo. He's up there as far as political influence goes, and he happens to be incredibly paranoid that someone is out to get him. We had to escort him to Hamamatsu, stay there while he did what he needed to do; and then escort him back to Tokyo. Whatever he was doing, I think it was a big scale business deal, don't quote me on it—ended a day early so we left a day early and here I am now."

"That sounds fun," Sakura remarked, reaching for a paper towel to dry her hands.

"Thrilling," Kakashi replied dully. "He kept trying to recruit us as full time, but we sure as shit don't want that. I don't want to be some rich guy's body guard, are you kidding me?"

"I mean, aren't you technically already one? You bounce at the club, and all," Sakura chuckled turning her chin up to better look at him.

Dazzling onyx eyes gazed down at her; his mouth pulled up in that lopsided smile that melted her insides. He kissed her forehead, muttering against it, "I missed the shit out of you."

Sakura turned in his arms, letting his hands settle on her hips. She placed her hands flat on his chest, leaning forward to kiss him tenderly, "I missed the shit out of you, too."

Kakashi smiled against her lips, "You wanna order take out and binge watch some dramas? I'm a week behind and I just _have _to know what happened with Haru and Sara—are they a thing? Is she still seeing her ex even though she knows he's toxic for her? And what about-"

Sakura placed a finger on his lips, chuckling, "That's fine and all, but...I have something else in mind."

"Sakura," Kakashi deadpanned. "What can be better than the drama-filled, fabulous lives of-"

Sakura interrupted him with a kiss; pecking once before kissing him again, tilting her head to deepen the kiss while her hands toyed with the edge of his shirt. She wiggled her fingers underneath the fabric, gasping when she felt the crisscross of threads, "You're still wearing that fishnet shirt?"

Kakashi chuckled, glancing down at her wandering hands, "I am—is that a problem? I _told _Shikamaru it looks like I'm gearing up for a sick ass rave—no one would take me seriously, but _he said _it was super-efficient and—er...where are you going?"

Sakura broke away from Kakashi, making her way to the door and locking it; turning on her heel and leaning back against the door, wiggling a finger at him. "Come here," she purred, emerald eyes focused on him.

Kakashi took a slow step in her direction, "If I didn't know any better, bunny—I'd say you're giving me bedroom eyes."

Sakura plucked a shoulder lazily, "If you take off your shirt so I can see you in that fishnet one—then yes."

Kakashi paused, grinning impishly while he slowly pulled the black T-shirt off and throwing it across the room. Sakura's eyes took in his dangerously sexy form; the way the thread of the fishnet shirt curved around his body and hugged him tight was sinful. A small pink tongue ran out to lick her bottom lip, and heat started to simmer at her core. Kakashi ran his hand flat along the fabric, muttering darkly, "Does this turn you on, bunny?"

Sakura nodded slowly, grabbing the edge of her shirt and easily peeling it off; her full breasts squeezed together tight in the new red bra she bought. Kakashi's gaze became deadly, then; dark eyes narrowing on her alabaster flesh, stalking towards her little by little as he spoke, "I'm picking up some very strong 'fuck me' pheromones, Sakura."

Without answering, Sakura thumbed the top edge of her skirt; easily pushing it over the curves of her hips and thighs gingerly, stepping out of them; now clad in just her panties and bra, the cool air of the hospital sending goosebumps across her skin. She grabbed her breasts; squeezing them together, never breaking eye contact with Kakashi as he neared. Big hands came up, sliding up her waist and thumbs grazing the bottom of her bra. Black eyes burned into hers, burning her up from the inside while his hands grazed her skin gently. He leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "Is this really what you want, Usagi? Because, I'll give it to you—but you've got to be ready for it. I don't want you to push yourself just because you-"

Sakura stuffed her hands down the front of his pants, grabbing his hardening member and pumping him gradually. Kakashi's teeth clenched, his jaw twitched, and he felt a jolt of electricity make its way throughout his body; starting the fire within him, too. He wrapped his left arm around her tight, using his right to hold her head and kiss her; softly at first, testing the waters and pushing the line inch by inch until they were both kissing the other desperately. Tongues battling the other, swallowing the hums and moans the other emitted. In one fluid movement, he unhinged her bra; letting the fabric fall to the floor. He cupped one tenderly, flicking his thumb across the swollen bud and rumbling deep when she leaned into his touch; moaning quietly. Kakashi broke the kiss to dip his head down, taking the rosy nipple in his mouth and sucking; loving the way her body started to writhe restlessly in his arms. He turned his attention to the other breast, his left hand coming around to grip her ass tightly as he sucked on the neglected breast; grinning when she moaned just the slightest bit louder.

Kakashi plucked his mouth away, his right hand sliding down her stomach to cup her throbbing pussy, "You'll have to be quiet, bunny—or they'll hear us."

Sakura shook her head back and forth, "I don't care. I need you—now."

Kakashi chuckled huskily, "Let me draw this out, bunny. We haven't made love in so long—let me enjoy this. Because, I'll be honest- I haven't been able to stop thinking about your body on mine. All that crossed my mind was sprawling you out on the bed and eating your sweet little pussy until you came—and then fucking you so good you're dizzy." He rubbed his fingers up and down her cloth covered sex, internally moaning at how damp the fabric was. He pressed his tongue flat over her mound, licking up the indent of her cleft and grinning when she leapt in his hold. He pulled away, "Is this what you want? Do you want me to eat your little pussy, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded, head dizzy with lust as she looked at him; on his knees, pulling her panties down as he kissed his way down her legs; pausing over the scars to kiss tenderly there.

"Say it," Kakashi asserted, propping her left leg over his shoulder and spreading the other one wide; opening her wet pussy up to him.

"I want you to eat me up," Sakura rasped, her body nearly shaking from anticipation.

Kakashi grinned up at her, "Thank god- I'm starving."

He dove his tongue into her petals, licking and sucking so hard Sakura's frame trembled and she moaned loudly; sinking down the door some and Kakashi had to hold her hips against the door to hold her up. He flicked his wet muscle over her clit, tugging up the ball of her piercing with his teeth and loving the way it made her flinch and shudder. Her pussy was soaked, her smell was divine, and her taste was heavenly to him—he made that known to her. Sakura tossed her head back, eyes squeezed shut and biting her lip to fight off the moans that threatened to escape.

Kakashi ate her up; he left no centimeter of her soaked flesh untouched. He latched onto her clit, sucking in pulses so rapid that when he inserted two long fingers inside her hot pussy and nudged her g-spot; she came. Her body convulsed around his fingers, juices seeping out and down his hand as his tongue lazily lapped up her essence; humming darkly and kissing the top of her mound as she came down; twitching and shuddering. Kakashi stood up, scooping her into his arms and walking her over to the exam table; laying her down across it and hooking each of her legs around his waist. He spread her legs as wide as they would go, leaning over her to kiss her hotly while he pulled his pulsing length out; leaking precum, raging for release. He kept his gaze locked on hers, and Sakura's breath hitched in anticipation. She felt the thick head of his member prod into her slightly, and she tried to angle her hip down to receive more of him.

"I love you, Sakura," Kakashi rumbled deeply.

"I love you, too, Kakashi," Sakura hummed softly.

With one fluid movement, Kakashi thrust into her; his hard cock filling her up and her body fluttering around him as it adjusted to his size. When he pulled out painstakingly slow and shoved his thickness back in; Sakura yelped, thrashing her hips down—a plea for more. Kakashi began to thrust into her slow and hard, as deep as he could go to hit that spot she knew he knew she had. He hit hard and hard, deeper and deeper; his thumb rolling over her clit rapidly with each weighted thrust. He fucked her hard and sensual, and when he felt her body flutter around him; he moved faster, taking her to the edge and pushing her over into explosive bliss.

_I love you, Kakashi._

_I love you, Kakashi._

_I love you..._

_Kakashi._

* * *

_6 Months Later_

Shinjuku Gyoen was their favorite place to go. It had become a weekly thing for them; go to the park, take all the dogs with them, and enjoy the day. Today had been a particularly beautiful day; the sun was shining, the weather was comfortable, and they both had the day off. Sakura was giddy to go, getting dressed in a cute red summer dress that he found to be insanely flattering on her. Their favorite spot was on the bridge—they'd usually stand there and watch the sunset together; sharing some food they bought from the market. It was their thing, they always did it—and Sakura always loved it.

So, it seemed fitting for what he had in mind.

Traditional gazebos sat among flowering cherry blossom trees; lush, green grass surrounding reflective bodies of water. Trees with deep red leaves hung low, lightly fluttering in the breeze. Lily pads fanned out in clusters; beautiful, pink flowers opened wide in greeting. Sakura walked up to the edge of the gazebo, looking over the dark wood into the water; humming to herself about it being so pretty, but Kakashi had to disagree.

Nothing looked more beautiful than she did.

Sakura's lean, willowy form was bright red and stark against the mahogany gazebo. The wind caused her dress to flutter to the left, furthering to hug the curves of her figure. Her pink hair blended in with the cherry blossoms surrounding them, a silent homage to the beauty of nature and herself. In front of her, the sun was setting; waves of orange, yellow, blue, and red splayed out like fresh water color against the sky. She was stunning, smiling at him beautifully when she caught sight of him admiring her.

Kakashi walked up to her, kissing her tenderly, "You know I love you, Sakura?"

Sakura giggled, her cheeks a subtle pink, "Of course I do—you remind me every day."

Kakashi kissed her again, "You know that I want to spend the rest of my days with you—don't you?"

Another giggle, "I'd hope so- I'd hate for you to get tired of me already."

"I could never," Kakashi winked, kissing her again. "You know that you are everything to me, Sakura?"

Sakura stilled, eyes focused on his face, "You're everything to me, Kakashi."

"I'd hope so," Kakashi teased. He took a deep breath, stepping down on one knee and pulling out a dainty, dazzling sapphire ring, "Sakura Haruno, will you marry me?"

Sakura froze, hands coming up to cover the gasp she emitted; emerald eyes wide, gazing down at the ring in shock. Tears began to well there, her beautiful face crumpling as she cried out, "YES! YES, YES, YES!"

Kakashi tossing his head back and laughed, easily slipping the ring on her trembling hand and standing to his feet; wrapping her in his arms tightly. This was it for him. The light of his life, the woman of his dreams. The reason his heart beats; the one his soul loves. Sakura; his beautiful bunny- a forever flowering cherry blossom.

Lovers kissed passionately while the sun continued to set behind them; bright, brilliant rays shining a burning light on the hope of their future.

* * *

**Kira, here! My heart is literally breaking because we have come to an end. I have fallen in love with these characters! But, stay tuned—there is going to be an epilogue! **

**As well, I wanted to thank every single one of you for your constant support, reviews, feedback, and love. You have no idea how much your words mean to me—honestly. I'll have shit days, and come home to y'all's kind words. You have uplifted me, encouraged me, and driven me! From the bottom of my little ole heart; thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I love every single one of you, so dearly it hurts.**

**That being said, after the epilogue is done, I'll be starting on a new story! The good news, is that it will be in the same universe I've set up here, the same characters and personalities—except it will be in another person's point of view/story. So the team will be there, Kiba will bitch, Naruto will charge, and Shino might buy himself a new jacket. Who knows! All I know, is I would love for yall to ride along with me on the new story as yall have on this one. I would love nothing more. The new story will be titled: Glass: A Neon City Story 2.**

**Again, I fucking love yall. A lot. Y'all just have no idea.**

**With all my love,**

**Kira.**

**P.S- don't forget, epilogue is coming up here soon for this story!**


	36. Epilogue: Loved

Epilogue

_One Year Later _

"Mrs. Hatake?"

She glanced up, papers crumpling in her hands as she gazed at the woman standing in the doorway; chewing on her lip nervously, pink brows pinched in the center of her forehead. Her palms were sweaty, her stomach was fluttering in anticipation; her mind going 1000 miles an hour. She turned her head, eyes flicking over to meet earnest onyx ones.

He clasped a hand over her knee, squeezing it tenderly with a shake, "Whatever happens, it'll be alright."

She met his gaze evenly, giving one curt nod before gathering her bag and standing up; the pair following the woman past the door and down the hallway.

* * *

Being married to Sakura was one of Kakashi's greatest achievements.

From the moment she said yes, to the moment she said I do; he was a man insanely proud. Because Sakura's parents couldn't fly to Tokyo, the pair had two separate weddings. One in Tokyo; filled with everyone not just from the team but all chapters of Ancient of Days. Sakura got to meet a lot of new faces, people Kakashi had known for most of his life. And even though his father wasn't there physically, he was there in spirit; and that made Kakashi happy, knowing his dad would be proud. As he stood at the end of the aisle and watched he walk down—looking so goddamned beautiful it fucking hurt—he remembered words his dad said to him once over sake.

"Kakashi, you'll meet plenty of women in your lifetime. You'll even meet a couple that you'll swear up and down are the one. But- I'll tell you—when you meet the right one, I mean THE right one; you only get one shot. When you know, you just know, son. That's how it was with your mother, and while some men can move on- I'm not one of those men. Your mom was my shot at love—my all, my everything...I guess what I'm getting at, is when you find her—don't let her slip through the cracks. Hold onto her, honor her, and cherish her. Women are a lot like strong, blooming trees; you water her, take care of her—they blossom. Find your cherry blossom, son. She's out there."

Find your cherry blossom, he said...

No truer words have ever been spoken.

The wedding dress hugged the curves of her figure in a smooth wave; billowing out around her feet. The sleeves were sheer with white laced roses, the back open to reveal her smooth skin. Her hair was piled high at the top, with rosy ringlets cascading down. She bore bright red lips, long curled eye lashes, and heart-shattering emerald eyes. A gold necklace was hung around her neck delicately, with matching gold earrings. She appeared as though she were floating down the aisle, graceful and eloquent all on her own. His heart thrummed, he swallowed the lump in his throat, and he smiled wide. His face grew hot, and he couldn't help the tear that slipped out of his eye—to which Kiba, his best man, told him to "suck it up"- but everyone was in tears. Ino practically wailed when she saw Sakura—even though she was the one who helped her get ready for the wedding. Hinata and Naruto, who married a year before them, sat tight together; heads pressed against each other with smiles on their faces. The emotion was heavy, but love was in the fucking air and Kakashi was more than happy to breathe it in.

The closer she became, the more he felt as though she were an angel sent by god; there to scoop him away to eternal paradise with her. When she went to stand beside him, he inhaled deeply; breathing in that rose smell he loved so much. When her little hand was clasped with his, and they turned to face each other—it was all over for him. The woman he so patiently fought for was now standing across from him; carefully wiping away tears and reciting vowels she wrote herself. They said their "I do's", both of them teary eyed as he pulled her in tight; kissing her so sweet, so passionately that Kiba had to cough to break it up.

The second wedding at her parents they made into a simple small reception, just so her parents could celebrate with them. Kizashi let loose—and even drank a few too many; clapping Kakashi hard on the shoulder and saying he's a fine man, and that, "there's no one else I'd rather have taking care of my cherry blossom." Mebuki gifted them with some household items, as well as a few lingere to Sakura's dismay (and let's not forget Ino did the same damned thing).

Once that was all said and done, the two settled into the routine of their life together; work, dogs, dates, the team—and everything in between. Kaito did well on what he said—they haven't been issued a Yakuza job since Sota. That left the team to handle jobs within Ancient of Days; strengthening chapter bonds between them and the others. Money and time were being managed well, and despite even the busiest of days—they always had time for each other.

Life was good.

Today the team planned to party at Kakashi's house—though Kiba and Kakashi have a quick job they need to take care of before anyone shows up; as well, Sakura wouldn't be off of work until five, so the timing worked out. Kiba was at their house early in the morning to scoop Kakashi up and take him to the club before they take care of the job. Sakura was up and getting ready in the restroom while Kakashi and Kiba talked in the kitchen.

"So, what are we supposed to do today?" Kiba drawled, side stepping Akamaru and helping himself to a cup of fresh coffee Kakashi made.

"Oh, you know," Kakashi sighed, stirring creamer into his cup and smoothly handing it to a waiting Kiba. "Nothing too crazy. Guy has some kids from the Academy he's training and he was looking for some help in fighting style or some shit like that."

"Isn't that, like, Lee's forte?"

Kakashi shrugged fecklessly, "As far as I know, Lee has been really busy with the dojo. Plus, Guy was going on about like, how each shinobi fights in their own style and thought it would be important to teach the kids different types."

Kiba huffed, "So, you're telling me that we're taking time out of our day to fight some kids?"

"Ah," Kakashi nodded, angling his head in Kiba's direction, "not exactly. We're taking time out of our busy schedules to _beat the kids up._ There's a big difference. I could go for blowing off some steam, anyways."

"Tsunade really thinks this is a job? And don't you do that enough with Sakura already?"

Kakashi grinned, "Well, yeah the Academy is paying Guy and us for it, so unless you don't like making money to kick some little asses..." He sipped his coffee slowly, staring at Kiba over the rim of the mug.

"I guess," Kiba grunted, nearly chugging his cup down despite how fucking hot it was.

"As for blowing off steam with Sakura...that's been...well, very interesting lately."

Black brows twitched, "Eh? What, is she holding out on you?"

Kakashi deadpanned, "No, she's not spiteful. She actually been...quite froggy."

Kiba's expression blanked, "...froggy...?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes, "Jumpy, you know—jumping my bones any chance she gets."

Kiba scowled, "Yeah, I think you've got the meaning behind froggy wrong."

"Excuse me," Kakashi began, hands out on either side, "if anyone gets any phrase wrong, it's you," he pointed a long finger at Kiba. "Second, when someone says something is _froggy_ it's because frogs _jump_—I mean, this is basic elementary, Keeb—I don't know how you're not getting it."

Kiba shook his head, crossing his hands back and forth in front of him, "Wait, wait wait wait—you're wrong. It's not about the meaning of the phrase- I fucking know what it means, asshole. It's the _context_ that you're using it in that's wr-"

Kakashi snorted, "Oh, _please_—how was it even out of context? If she's been jumping my bones, she's feeling froggy—honestly Kiba, I can't believe I have to spell this out for you."

"What's there to spell out when you're spelling it wrong to begin with!" Kiba barked, re-filling his coffee cup. "When people use the phrase froggy, it's always associated with a fight. Like, 'eh, wise guy,'" Kiba placed his cup down, pointing two finger guns at Kakashi, "'you're feeling froggy?'"

Kakashi tossed his head back and laughed loudly, "First off, you got that all wrong. _If_ you want to use the phrase froggy in a fight, you don't ask them if they're feeling froggy. You state it. You know, 'yo, if you're feelin' froggy—jump!' WHICH only lines up to and furthers my point that froggy can be used in the context pertaining to Sakura."

"You're a fucking idiot," Kiba growled into his coffee cup.

"And Sakura is feelin' froggy," Kakashi snickered, shaking his head and peering down the hall. "I'm telling you, Kiba—she has been on me like white on rice. I mean I'm not complaining-"

"Tch," Kiba scoffed. "Sounds like you're complaining to me."

Kakashi grinned haughtily at Kiba, palms held up to him, "Hey, if you're feelin' froggy, Kiba—just jump."

"Fffuuuccckkk yyyooouuu," Kiba groaned, turning his attention to the hallway where Sakura came walking out.

While she typically wore standard scrubs to work, today she was wearing a light pink button up cardigan over a scrub top; the buttons pulled together tight over her breasts. In fact, the more Kakashi roved his eyes over her, the more he noticed those buttons were really putting in work to hold that top together. Kakashi glanced over at Kiba, who tilted his head to the side with his eyes and took a quick sip of his coffee.

Sakura pulled a tumbler out of the cabinet; quickly filling it up with the remaining coffee as she spoke, "Morning, Kiba. Hi, honey."

"Morning," Kiba grunted.

"Yo," Kakashi grinned, leaning down the counter to plant a kiss on her temple.

She turned her head and smiled, reaching out to grab his chin; kissing him more firmly before pulling away, "Good luck on your job today."

"Well, we don't really need luck," Kiba commented casually. "But your top does."

Sakura paused, setting her tumbler down on the counter and glancing down at her cardigan, "What? What are you talking about?"

Kakashi chuckled, "It's nothing—just ignore him. He's feeling froggy today, so..."

"Would you shut the fuck up," Kiba bit, rolling his eyes heavily.

"Kiba," Sakura titled sincerely. "If you're feeling froggy, just jump."

Kiba squinted, eyes flicking between the two, "Fuck both of you. Did you hear us talking about that?"

Sakura shook her head, "Talking about what? I was just saying something that they say a lot back at home."

Once Sakura finished pouring up her coffee, she reached into the fridge to grab left overs from last night's dinner and stuff them into a bag; hooking it over her shoulder and turning to Kakashi. She stood high on her tip toes, stretching out her arms to loop them over his head. At the same time she reached up, the top button of her cardigan popped loose—sending the button flying directly into Kakashi's eye.

"Oh, SHIT! I am so sorry!" Sakura shouted, closing her hand over his on top of his eye. "How bad does it hurt?"

Kakashi chuckled, hunched over slightly, "Ah- it hurts as bad as it feels to have a button shoot directly into your eye."

"I am so, so sorry, Kakashi! Here, let me get this," Sakura turned, grabbing a dish towel and soaking the end with cold water; removing his hand and pressing it on his eye. "This should help some, I am so so sorry."

Kakashi rubbed the cloth over his eye, "It's fine, bunny—really."

"Tits McGee over there takin' eyes out one button at a time," Kiba guffawed, shaking his head and wiping away an invisible tear. "I love to see it."

Sakura's head snapped in Kiba's direction, her tone hard as she spoke, "What did you say?"

Kiba laughed again, "I _said_ that your tits are too big for that top, sister! We both saw it, Kakashi was just being nice—but me? I'm your friend, Sakura, and as your friend it is my duty to—what the FUCK!"

Kakashi saw it. He saw it in her expression when Kiba first said the fucking words. He saw her turn, bag falling to the floor, unplug the toaster, and swivel back around; launching the big metal thing directly at Kiba's head. Kiba dodged to the left, barely missing it; eyes incredulous. He glanced back at the toaster that was now on the living room floor; expression etched with shock.

"What the actual FUCK, Sakura?!"

Sakura grabbed her bag quickly, pointing a hard finger at Kiba, "If you were my _friend, _you wouldn't say such shitty things."

"Sakura, you threw a whole fucking toaster at me."

"You called me Tits McGee!"

Kiba gasped, "Because your tits are obviously way too big for that top—back me up, Kakashi!"

Kakashi raised his hands up in the air, "I think Sakura's tits are perfect the way they are."

Kiba groaned at the same time Sakura did, tossing his head back and sighing, "I was just making a joke-"

"Well it was incredibly rude," Sakura growled, stomping her way out of the kitchen and out of the house.

The two men stood there in silence for several beats; Kiba shaking his head slowly and Kakashi sipping coolly on what was left of his coffee. A couple minutes passed and Kakashi placed his mug in the sink; clapping his hands together and declaring, "Alright! Ready to head out?"

Kiba balked, "_Head out?_ Head out? Did you not see her throw a whole ass TOASTER at me?"

Kakashi plucked a shoulder lazily, "Yeah- I was actually going to mention to you that maybe keep your asshole remarks to yourself today."

"Is she on her period or something?"

"One," Kakashi sighed, walking towards the front door with Kiba in tow. "That's sexist. Two, she doesn't get periods anymore because of her birth control. Three, she's just been sort of moody lately."

"Moody?" Kiba echoed, standing by the car while Kakashi locked the front door and Akamaru hopped in the back seat. "I'd say that's a little more than moody—don't you think?"

Kakashi hopped in the passenger side, letting Kiba jump in and start the car; lurching backwards out of the driveway while he spoke, "I mean—Sakura's always been pretty strong-willed. That being said, she feels things more deeply than we do. She's been feeling sort of unhappy about her weight lately- I mean, I told her she looks great—but she's not buying it."

Kiba shrugged, "I mean, she doesn't look heavier, really—her boobs just look really huge."

"Mmmh, well her boobs aren't the only thing that's-"

"Ugh," Kiba grunted. "If you're going to say it's your dick please don't."

Kakashi flicked his gaze over to Kiba, eyes incurious, "No, Kiba—don't worry, I'm not talking about my dick. I mean, she's just been acting sort of weird lately."

Kiba glanced over, "Weird how? Like, stressed out or something?"

"I mean, she's definitely stressed with work—she said something about these twin nurses quitting that's left them short staffed, but Sakura has always been able to manage her stress as far as work goes. She's been stressing over small stuff, but stressing to the point she cries. Or, she'll be laughing at something and then she starts crying. She gets frustrated at the drop of a hat; she wants to fuck—all the time. She's been sick on and off; we just thought we were cooking the food wrong... Lately, she's been doing this thing where she gets up in the middle of the night and eats a tomato. Like, raw. She just puts a little salt on it and eats it like a fucking apple. And she gets really, really upset if we don't have tomatoes on hand for her to eat. She craves them. She cried the other day when she dropped the last one by accident- so I got up and went to the store to get her some more."

Kiba hummed, nodding knowingly, "I mean, her hips have gotten just the slightest bit wider."

"Kiba, I'm starting to get concerned with how much attention you pay to my wife's body," Kakashi teased, onyx eyes flicking to meet his.

Kiba scoffed, "Not even. Not to make you freak out or anything, but she sounds pregnant."

Kakashi shook his head, "There's no way. She's been on long-term birth control since we've been together—and it lasts a long ass time."

Kiba shrugged, "I'm just saying—it's worth ruling out."

"No, there's no point in ruling out what can't possibly exist. Besides, she'd probably take it real personal, considering she's been upset about her weight and all."

"Don't count it out completely," Kiba challenged. "Look at me—I'm a young, fine, strapping man. My mom got pregnant with me when she was on birth control."

Kakashi snickered, "Ah, yes—the little sperm that could. I remember that story well."

"Whatever- look, all I'm saying is her eating tomatoes like apples some odd-hours in the day is not normal. I mean, you told me she was _craving _them and _cried_ when she dropped one. And again, not to mention, she threw a fucking _TOASTER _at my _head._ So, maybe just ask her to take a test because of the whole tomato thing- I don't know. Just, you know—rule it out. No harm, no foul; right?"

"Right," Kakashi muttered, peering out of the window.

Sakura...pregnant...?

He honestly hadn't thought about it—he just initially chalked it up to her work hours being the reason she was so off, since they were off recently. It never crossed his mind, because she was on birth control. Sure, they never used condoms and he came in her every chance he got—but it still never crossed his mind, not once. He agreed with Kiba that maybe it would be good to rule out- so they can figure out what to do so she can start feeling better again.

He didn't want to admit it, but...

A part of him felt giddy at the notion that she might be pregnant.  
In fact...a part of him felt hope and excitement blossom across his chest.

He imagined how cute Sakura would be pregnant. He could rub her swollen feet and feed her tomatoes all day long if she wanted him to. He imagined holding the sweet little baby; the fruit of their love. Kakashi always wanted to be a father—and he knew Sakura would make an outstanding mother. Whether or not Sakura would be happy about it—he didn't know.

He sure as shit hoped she would be, if she was pregnant.

All he could do was hope.

* * *

Sakura was having a really rough time.

From the moment she woke up, she was in a terrible mood; and while she did her best to be kind to Kakashi, she couldn't stop herself from lashing out at Kiba. Where the fuck does he even get off talking about her body like that? For some reason, as the day went on and she tended to patients; she couldn't seem to let it go. Even over lunch, she picked at her food—unable to stomach any of it she was so upset.

"You look swell," Ino's voice cut in; the busty blonde plopping down in the chair across from Sakura.

"Thanks," Sakura muttered, closing the lid over the bowl and pushing it away; the smell making her feel worse.

"What's got your panties in a wad?" Ino tittered, grabbing the bowl and opening it. "Oooo- are you gonna finish this?"

Sakura shook her head, her expression disgusted, "No, you can have it. Here, I have an extra fork in my bag."

Ino breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank fucking god. I am starving and I was running late this morning so I didn't have time to bring a lunch."

"No problem," Sakura hummed, leaning back into her chair and closing her eyes; breathing in through her nose and out her mouth.

"Are you sick or something?" Ino piqued.

Sakura's eyes snapped open, "I mean, I don't think so. I've just been having stomach issues lately. It's not consistent, it's on and off."

Ino nodded, chewing the food thoughtfully, "Mmmhhmm- how long have you been feeling sick for?"

Sakura glanced up, trying to remember, "Um...I mean, not long. Like a month and a half? Maybe two months? Like I said, it's no big deal; I've just been feeling sick randomly and I think it has a lot to do with the hours here at work—my eating schedule is all off, so my body isn't used to it."

"Are you knocked up?" Ino bit, propping one elbow up on the chair; blue eyes sparkling mischievously while blonde eyebrows wiggled. "Is Kakashi now your baby daddy?"

Sakura laughed, "Hardly. I'm on birth control—remember?"

"Ah," Ino nodded again. "Remind me, which one are you on?"

Sakura tapped the inside of her left arm, "The bar. It lasts three years. And why would pregnancy be your first answer? I can be sick without being pregnant, you know."

Ino snorted loudly, shoveling more food into her mouth, "When's the last time you got your period?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I don't get them any more—at all, Ino. Not on this birth control."

"Then how do you know?" She pressed casually; cheeks stuffed with food.

"I think I know my body well enough to warrant whether or not I was pregnant," Sakura deadpanned.

Ino shrugged a shoulder, "Whatever you say. But I'm just going to say it: you've been all sorts of moody, your tits have gotten huge, and you can't even look at this bowl of food without making the ugliest face ever."

Sakura scowled, tone harsh as she spoke, "Your point?"

"See- that, that RIGHT there," Ino pointed the fork at Sakura. "_That's _what I'm talking about. Little Miss Attitude over here. All I'm doing is just pointing out the obvious. And I'm not the only one. Himari thinks you're knocked up, too."

Pink brows shot up in surprise, "Himari?"

"Mmmhhmmm," Ino nodded matter-of-factly. "You were getting pretty snappy with her one day—all day, I might add—and she came to me and said don't be surprised if you pull out a sonogram later."

"I'm allowed to have bad days, Ino."

"You're right, you are. But these bad days are oddly similar to bad days a pregnant woman has. What about earlier this week? You took two bites of your rice and dry heaved it out. You cried you were so angry because a patient wasn't understanding what you were telling them," Ino held up her left hand, ticking off her fingers with each statement. "Let me see—oh! You've been way more irritable than normal. You pop off in an instant. Ah, your tits are huge-"

"You already said that," Sakura growled.

Ino huffed hard, sliding the bowl across the table, "All I'm saying is maybe take a test. You can't rely on your periods because you're not getting them, so. Plus, what if it's a real medical issue?"

"Look," Sakura began. "I'll squash this really quick." Sakura leaned over, scooping up her bag and digging around for her wallet.

Ino let out a long sigh, elbow propped on the table with her face in her hand; expression bored, "What are you doing, Sakura?"

Sakura pulled out her wallet, "When I got the bar implanted when I was still living in America—the doctor gives you this plastic card with the date of when you got the implant and when it expires." She began to finger her way through all the cards in her wallet; taking out a small stack and flipping through them. "When it is close to expiring, you get it replaced. I'm going to show you that there's still a lot of time on mine. I just need to find it...Ah! Here it is! Read it and weep," Sakura sneered, holding out the laminate card for Ino to read.

Ino snatched the card out of Sakura's hand, squinting at it for several beats before placing it face down on the table and sliding it towards her while she stood up, "Yeah...I'd take a test if I were you, Sakura."

Sakura watched Ino, confused, "What are you talking about?" She grabbed the card, "The date is right...here..."

Sakura blinked several times, hoping that the numbers would change. She glanced up at Ino, who was standing with her arms crossed; seemingly sympathetic. Sakura stared at the handwritten numbers, feeling her stomach sink at the sight of them.

There was NO fucking way this was happening.

"You're six months past the expiration date, Sa-kur-rrrraaaahh," Ino sang, flipping her pony tail. "Chances are you didn't get a period because the bar is still releasing some hormones—though who knows if it's enough to protect you or not. So, maybe stop by the drug store and pick up a test? Call me when you get the results, I wanna know what it is." With that, she leaned forward and planted a quick peck on Sakura's head before ambling her way back to work.

Sakura remained frozen in place, staring at the card and hearing her heart beat spike in her chest. She was _six months_ past the expiration date. How does she even miss something like that? Was she just too wrapped up in everything here she totally forgot about it? And how could her timing be off—not that she really remembered when she got the bar put it, it was so long ago. She could have sworn she had another year on it—at least.

How could she be so off?

Sure, once Kakashi proposed to her she was pretty wrapped up in the wedding...but that was nearly a year ago. She felt stupid, not paying attention to something as important as this. She felt like a fucking moron. Plus, as much as she hated to admit it: Ino was right—she had been acting weird. Pregnancy didn't even cross her mind because she thought she was covered. Her and Kakashi have had A LOT of sex between when the bar expired and now—there was no telling when the conception could have happened, or how far along she would be...And her boobs _have _gotten bigger...

Sakura leaned back in her chair; closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, "Fuck."

* * *

If Kakashi wasn't used to Guy's high energy—he would have been worn the fuck out. Lucky for him, years and years of "challenges" and "duels" with Guy has led him to being the man he is today; unable to be exhausted by Guy's efforts. But, fact of the matter is Kakashi wasn't on his A-game, either. During the entire training session, with each spar—his head wasn't in the game 100%. All he kept thinking about was the possibility of Sakura being pregnant. All that crossed his mind was the image of kissing her swollen belly; rubbing it and whispering to the life growing inside of her. He knew he was getting way ahead of himself; but a man can dream, dammit.

On the drive home, Kakashi asked Kiba to stop at the drug store so he could grab a test for Sakura. Kiba cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, "You're really gonna ask her?"

Kakashi nodded, "I am. Everything you said makes sense, we'd be dumb to not rule it out."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound almost excited, Kakashi."

Kakashi sighed, "You know me, Kiba."

Kiba grinned, slapping Kakashi on the back firmly, "Yeah, man—I do."

Once Kakashi was dropped off at the house, he actually felt his stomach flip to see Sakura's car there. He'd never felt nervous like this before, and he found it rather exhilarating. He tried his best to keep a level head, telling himself that everything is up in the stars and to not get too worked up about it.

"Whatever happens, happens," he muttered as he opened up the door to his home.

The tv was on in the living room, but Sakura was nowhere in sight. He moved through the kitchen, down the hall calling Sakura's name.

"Usagi, I need to talk to you," He called once he reached the bedroom; glancing around the yipping mass of dogs. He stopped at the door of the restroom, digging around in the bag to pull out the pregnancy test.

"Good," Sakura replied from behind the door, opening it after several seconds; her hands closed over something he couldn't make out. "Because I need to talk to you, too."

* * *

She sat on the exam table, picking at her fingers while Kakashi sat in the chair beside her; elbows propped on his knees, his foot tapping periodically. After about thirty minutes of waiting, the doctor came sweeping into the room; papers in hand and a smile on her face.

"Good morning—how are we doing today?" She grinned, putting on her glasses to glance down at the paper. "Sakura Hatake—correct?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sakura nodded, feigning her own smile.

"And this is your lovely husband?" She pressed, taking off her glasses and pointing them at Kakashi.

Kakashi gave the doctor a small salute, "The one and only, ma'am."

"Good," she nodded. "Well, I am doctor Ainu. Want to run by me why we're here today?"

"Well," Sakura began nervously. "For the past couple months, I have been feeling weird. Last week I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. I have the birth control implant in my arm, and even though it's expired- I'm worried the pregnancy could be ectopic."

Ainu nodded knowingly, lips pressed in a hard line, "Mmmhhmm, that's something to be worried about. How long has your implant been expired for?"

"Ah, six months," Sakura answered shakily.

"Alright. Well, don't worry, Sakura. You're in really capable hands. If you'll go ahead and prop your legs up on this stirrup—take that blanket there and cover your lower half for me, please."

While Ainu got ready, Sakura propped herself up on the stirrups; Kakashi helping her roll out the blanket to cover the lower half of her body. Ainu pulled up a rolling chair, a long white rod in hand that had a wire connecting it to a monitor. She began to gingerly apply clear lubricant before smiling brightly at Sakura, "Alright, honey—are you ready? It's going to feel a little cold."

"I'm ready," Sakura replied, grasping Kakashi's hand tight in hers.

"Alright, here we go," Ainu muttered, pressing the cold object in and moving it slightly.

All eyes were on the screen as the doctor hummed to herself; nodding here and there. Sakura waited impatiently for the woman to say something, very nearly about to burst until the doctor spoke up. "Well, Sakura—you're definitely pregnant. It looks like you're about 12 weeks along..."

Sakura shot up slightly, "12 weeks?! How did I miss that?"

"You'd be surprised," Ainu remarked evenly. "I've had patients come in here six months pregnant and not even know. Be glad we caught it when we did because...well..."

"Well what?" Kakashi pressed, leaning forward now and peering at the monitor sharply. "Is something wrong?"

The nurse shook her head, "Well, it's just that..."

* * *

The entire team was at the club today—per Kakashi's request. Even Gaara and Kankuro showed up, much to his delight. While everyone was chatting among each other, Kakashi was just waiting for Sakura to show up as soon as her shift was over.

They had big news to share with the team.  
News that was going to change the lives of Kakashi and Sakura forever.  
News that made him want to soar.

He was on cloud nine.

Thirty more minutes of waiting passed before Sakura arrived; looking flushed and beautiful. Her hair was in a messy high bun, with cute pink rings falling down at the sides. Kakashi met her at the bottom of the steps, leaning in to whisper, "Did you bring it..?"

Sakura nodded, leaning in to kiss him, "Yeah, I brought it."

"Good," Kakashi winked, kissing her once more before guiding her by the hand to the center of the room.

"Hey everyone—can I have your attention really quick?" Kakashi called, clapping his hands together and smiling too wide for his own good.

"This had better be important," Tsunade remarked, her cheeks slightly rosy from the sake. "I've got work I've got to do."

"It will be, it will be," Kakashi replied. "I'm glad you all came here, it means a lot to us. We wanted to tell you that Sakura and I," he pulled Sakura in his arm tight, "are pregnant."

"CALLED IT!" Ino and Kiba shouted at the same time everyone else gasped.

"Do you have the sonogram?" Tenten nearly shouted, almost falling over herself and everyone crowded the pair; congratulating them.

"I do," Sakura sang, pulling the folded picture out of her back pocket and handing it over to Tenten; with all the other women standing directly behind her as she unfolded it. Expressions became confused as eyes glossed over the pictures; flicking to Sakura and back to the pictures.

"Sakura...why does it say baby A, baby B, and baby...C?" Tenten asked slowly, glancing up to meet Kakashi's beaming gaze.

"TRIPLETS?!" Ino barked loudly, screaming at the top of her lungs and pulling Sakura in for a tight hug.

"Triplets," Kakashi winked, nudging Kiba in the side. "You hear that? My boys can swim!"

"Wow, not one—but three," Kiba chuckled. "Your hands are going to be full."

Kakashi shook his head, "There's no other way I'd have it, my man. No other way."

Kakashi watched as Sakura was embraced; hands ghosting over her already blooming belly and people congratulating him. He watched her cheeks flush with joy, happy tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she laughed along with the girls. He moved in, easily sweeping Sakura away for a second to kiss her sweetly; letting his hand rest on her stomach.

"We're going to make a beautiful family," He muttered, searching her wide eyes with his own.

"We are a beautiful family," Sakura grinned, kissing him just as sweetly.

The lovers embraced, surrounded by those they loved, those that loved them, and those that are just growing; already so deeply loved.

She was right.

They are a beautiful family.

* * *

**Kira here! Yes—triplets! I always envisioned Kakashi having a rather decent sized brood of babies. I felt three was fitting, given Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto in the OG. Stay tuned for the next story I'll be writing that—again—will have all the same characters from and within this universe. Expect Sakura to give birth to some pretty babies in it, too! I am so thrilled and saddened this story is over, but I'm excited for the next one. I'll be sure to let you know when the new story is up, if you don't already follow me! As always, thank you for your feedback- I love the ever living shit out of yall.**

**Love always, **

**Kira **


	37. Author's Note

**Kira here! Just letting you know Glass is up and running! Can't wait for yall to go on this next adventure with me! Love yall! **


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